How is this different from your desktop application testing service?

This page is about building and running automated desktop suites in your pipeline. Our desktop application testing service is broader, covering functional, compatibility, performance, security and accessibility testing by hand as well. Many clients use both.

Which desktop technologies can you automate?

WPF, WinForms, UWP and WinUI, Win32 and MFC, Electron, Qt, Java Swing and JavaFX, native macOS apps built with AppKit or SwiftUI, and apps delivered through Citrix or remote desktop.

Which tool do you recommend?

It depends on how your app is built and who will maintain the tests. FlaUI or WinAppDriver often suit .NET apps, Playwright suits Electron, Squish suits Qt and Java, and Appium’s Mac2 driver suits native macOS apps. If you prefer a commercial tool, we work with TestComplete and Ranorex.

Can one suite cover Windows, macOS and Linux?

Often, yes, when the app and tool are cross-platform, as with Electron, Qt or Java. Native apps usually need a different driver per OS, so we share structure, data and reporting across platforms and keep OS-specific code thin.

How do you test installers and updates?

Each run starts from a clean virtual machine snapshot. We test fresh installs and first launch, upgrades from older versions with data and settings kept, and uninstall and reinstall without leftovers.

Can you automate apps delivered through Citrix or remote desktop?

Yes. Remote sessions only expose the screen image, so we use image-based tools such as SikuliX, or the image-based features of TestComplete and Ranorex. These tests need more upkeep, so we use them where nothing else reaches.

What about legacy Win32 apps and custom controls?

We start with UI Automation-based tools such as pywinauto or FlaUI. For dialogs and prompts they can’t reach we use AutoIt, and for custom-drawn controls we fall back to image-based checks.

How do you keep desktop tests stable?

Automation IDs instead of screen positions, proper waits for windows and dialogs, a clean VM snapshot before each run and isolated test data. When a test does become unstable, we log the cause and fix it rather than hiding it with retries.

How do you integrate with CI/CD?

We add build, install and test jobs to Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or Azure DevOps, running on virtual machine agents with Docker for Linux builds and supporting services, and results posted back to the build.

What reports will we get?

Allure or Extent reports after every run, with screenshots, video and logs for each failure. Real defects are logged in Jira with the OS and build, and results can go to TestRail.

Will automation replace manual desktop testing?

No. Automation covers repeatable regression. New features, usability, hardware and exploratory testing still need people, and our desktop testing team can cover that alongside the suite.

You do. The framework and tests live in your repository, in your team’s language, with documentation and a handover session, so your team can run them without us.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

It depends on the size of the app, the technology it’s built with, the OS matrix and whether we start fresh or take over a suite. We agree the scope first, then send a timeline and a quote.

What happens in the free consultation?

You talk to a desktop automation engineer about your app, the operating systems you support and what you test today. We’ll suggest where automation pays off first and which tools fit, with no obligation.

Desktop Automation Testing Services

Q: What is desktop automation testing?

Desktop automation testing uses code to operate your Windows, macOS or Linux application through its real interface, clicking, typing, opening files and switching windows, and checks each result. It turns the checks your team repeats before every release into a suite that runs on every build.

Automated tests for your Windows, macOS and Linux applications that check critical workflows on every build, across the OS versions your customers run.

We design, build and run desktop automation for WPF, WinForms, UWP and WinUI, Win32, Electron, Qt, Java and native macOS apps, including apps delivered through Citrix. Tests run on clean virtual machines from your CI/CD pipeline, and the code lives in your repository, so your team owns it.

Get in touch Plan your automation

WinAppDriver, FlaUI, Squish and more
Windows, macOS, Linux
Installers and upgrades covered
Your repo, no lock-in

What we automate

RegressionEvery build Installer & upgradeClean VM every run Cross-OS coverageWindows, macOS, Linux End-to-end workflowsComplete tasks CI/CD-integratedBuild, install, test Suite rescueStabilise or migrate

All 12 types →

[ Why desktop automation testing matters ]

Desktop software runs on machines you don’t control

Desktop automation drives your application through its real interface, clicking, typing, opening files and switching windows, and checks each result on the operating systems your users have. The checks your team repeats before every release become a suite that runs on every build.

Desktop apps are installed, upgraded and run alongside other software, on OS versions, display settings and permissions that differ from machine to machine. An update that breaks a working install is hard to take back.

Need broader desktop testing, including performance, security and accessibility? See desktop application testing →

The problems it solves

Regression that takes days by hand

Large desktop apps have hundreds of windows, dialogs and settings to recheck before every release.

More OS versions than machines

Customers run your app on OS versions, editions and display settings nobody on the team uses.

Installers and upgrades that break quietly

A new build works on a clean machine and fails on one upgraded from last year’s version.

Older technology with few test hooks

Win32 apps, custom controls and Citrix sessions hide their controls from ordinary tools.

[ How it helps your product ]

What desktop automation changes in your product

Five outcomes product and engineering leads ask us about, and how a well-built suite delivers each one.

Speed

Smoke tests run on every build and full regression runs unattended overnight, so a broken build is caught before it reaches testers or customers.

Coverage

More workflows, OS versions, display settings and upgrade paths than a manual pass can cover in the same window.

Release quality

Installers, upgrades and critical workflows are checked the same way before every release, not only the big ones.

Cost

Building the suite is an upfront investment. Each later run costs little, and manual effort moves to work only people can do.

Regression stability

Automation IDs, proper waits and a clean VM per run keep failures meaningful, so a red build means a real problem.

Aspect	Manual-only regression	Automated desktop regression
Regression cycle	Repeated by hand before each release	Runs on every build, unattended
OS coverage	The one or two machines on the team’s desks	An agreed OS matrix on virtual machines
Installer and upgrade checks	Done when there’s time	Every build, from a clean VM snapshot
Consistency	Varies with time pressure and who is testing	Same steps and checks on every run
Evidence	Notes and screenshots, where someone captured them	Screenshots, video and logs for each failure
Where testers spend time	Repeating known checks on each OS	New features, usability and exploratory testing

Honest note: automation suits stable, repeatable checks. New features, usability, hardware and peripherals, and exploratory work stay with people, and we’ll tell you which is which.

[ Types of desktop automation we deliver ]

Twelve kinds of desktop automation, matched to your app

Most teams start with smoke, regression and installer tests on their main OS, then widen the OS matrix and add layers as the suite proves itself.

Functional automation

Feature behaviour

Each window, dialog and feature checked against its rules: inputs, validation, menus, shortcuts and the messages users see.

What we cover

Forms, validation and error dialogs
Menus, toolbars and keyboard shortcuts
Settings and preferences saved correctly

When it pays offOnce a feature’s behaviour is settled enough to stay put between releases.

Regression automation

Every release

The checks your team repeats before every release, turned into a suite that runs unattended on every build.

What we cover

Ordered by business risk
Extended as each release adds features
Run nightly, on merge or on demand

When it pays offWhen manual regression on a large UI decides your release date.

Smoke & sanity on new builds

Minutes per build

View service

A short suite that installs each new build, launches it and walks the core paths, so broken builds never reach testers.

What we cover

Install, launch and sign-in
Main window and one key workflow
Triggered on every build from CI

When it pays offWhen broken builds keep reaching QA or customers’ pilot groups.Smoke & sanity testing →

End-to-end workflows

Complete tasks

Whole tasks the way users do them: open a file, edit, save, export and sync, across several windows and sessions.

What we cover

Multi-window, multi-step workflows
File open, save, import and export
Hand-offs to other apps and services

When it pays offWhen one broken step stops the work your customers bought the app for.

Installer, upgrade & uninstall

Clean VM every run

Installers and updates tested from clean virtual machine snapshots: fresh installs, upgrades from older versions with settings kept, and clean removal.

What we cover

Fresh install and first launch
Upgrades from previous versions, data and settings kept
Uninstall and reinstall without leftovers

When it pays offWhen an update that breaks a working install is the worst thing that can happen.

Cross-OS & OS-version coverage

Windows, macOS, Linux

View service

The same suite run across the OS versions and editions in your matrix, on Hyper-V, VMware, Parallels or VirtualBox.

What we cover

OS matrix built from your customer data
Display scaling and resolution settings
Per-OS results in one report

When it pays offWhen customers run your app on more OS versions than your team has machines.Compatibility testing →

Data-driven tests

Many inputs, one test

One workflow run against many data sets from files or the database, covering the combinations your users actually enter.

What we cover

Inputs from CSV, Excel or the database
Boundary and edge values
A clear result for each data row

When it pays offFor calculations, rules and forms with many valid inputs.

API-integrated tests

Postman & REST Assured

View service

API calls set up data and check backend state, so UI tests stay short and a failure points to the layer that broke.

What we cover

Test data created through the API
Server state checked after UI actions
API and UI results in one report

When it pays offWhen the desktop app is a client for services that change often.API automation testing →

Database state validation

Data behind the UI

Records checked after UI actions, so a saved form really means the data was written correctly.

What we cover

Inserts, updates and deletes verified
Local and server databases
Data cleaned up after each run

When it pays offWhen the UI can say “saved” while the data is wrong.

Image-based & visual checks

SikuliX and more

Where controls can’t be reached through accessibility APIs, such as Citrix sessions or custom-drawn controls, tests find and check elements by image.

What we cover

Citrix and remote desktop sessions
Custom-drawn and legacy controls
Screenshot comparison on key windows

When it pays offWhen your app, or the way it’s delivered, hides its controls from normal tools.

CI/CD-integrated automation

Build, install, test

View service

Suites wired into Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or Azure DevOps: build, install on a fresh VM, test, and post results back to the build.

What we cover

Build, install and test in one pipeline
VM snapshots reset before each run
Docker for Linux builds and supporting services

When it pays offWhen you ship builds often and need a go/no-go you can trust.CI/CD & QAOps →

Suite maintenance & migration

Stabilise or move

We take over existing desktop suites, fix flaky tests at the cause, and move between tools, such as record-and-playback scripts into code, when there’s a clear reason.

What we cover

Root cause and fix for each flaky test
Locator, wait and window-handling clean-up
Phased migration, old and new suites side by side

When it pays offWhen the team has stopped trusting the suite, or outgrown the tool.

[ Desktop technologies we automate ]

Built with almost anything, on Windows, macOS or Linux

How your app is built decides which tools can reach its controls. These are the technologies we automate, and where we usually start.

WPF

Data-bound views, styles and templates, reached through automation IDs.

Typical tools: FlaUI, WinAppDriver, Appium

WinForms

Forms, grids and dialogs in long-lived line-of-business apps.

Typical tools: FlaUI, WinAppDriver, pywinauto

UWP & WinUI

Modern and packaged Windows apps.

Typical tools: WinAppDriver, Appium

Win32 & MFC

Native Windows apps with standard and custom controls.

Typical tools: pywinauto, AutoIt, FlaUI

Electron

Desktop apps built on web technology, on any OS.

Typical tools: Playwright, WebdriverIO

Qt

C++ and QML apps on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Typical tools: Squish

Java Swing & JavaFX

Java desktop apps on any OS.

Typical tools: Squish, TestComplete, Ranorex

Native macOS

AppKit and SwiftUI apps.

Typical tools: Appium with the Mac2 driver

Citrix & remote desktop

Apps delivered over a remote session, where only the screen image is available.

Typical tools: SikuliX, image-based checks in TestComplete or Ranorex

[ How you benefit from working with us ]

What you get from QAonTOP’s desktop automation service

Beyond the tests themselves: how we work with your team, and what you keep when the engagement ends.

Open-source or commercial, your call

We work with WinAppDriver, FlaUI, pywinauto, Squish and Playwright as well as TestComplete and Ranorex, so we recommend what fits your app and budget, and explain why.

A clean machine for every run

Tests start from VM snapshots on Hyper-V, VMware, Parallels or VirtualBox, so leftovers from the last run never hide a bug.

Code you own

Frameworks are written in your repository, in your team’s language, with documentation. No proprietary layer, no lock-in.

Manual and automation under one roof

Our desktop testers explore new features, hardware and peripherals while automation covers regression.

Failures you can act on

Every failure comes with screenshots, video and logs, and real defects go into Jira with the OS and build.

Flexible ways to engage

A fixed-scope build, managed testing, a dedicated team or an engineer in your sprints. See all six.

[ Technology & tool stack ]

Our desktop automation technology stack

We pick each layer with your team, based on how your app is built, the operating systems you support and the pipeline you already run. On the right is an example layout.

Desktop toolsWinAppDriver · Appium (Windows & Mac2 drivers) · FlaUI · pywinauto · Squish · Playwright (Electron) · WebdriverIO · SikuliX · AutoIt · Robot Framework · TestComplete · Ranorex

LanguagesC# · Java · Python · JavaScript · TypeScript

Operating systemsWindows · macOS · Linux

Virtual machinesHyper-V · VMware · Parallels · VirtualBox

ContainersDocker

CI/CDJenkins · GitHub Actions · GitLab CI · Azure DevOps

ReportingAllure · Extent Reports

APIPostman · REST Assured

Test & defect trackingJira · TestRail

Sample project layoutC# · FlaUI · Azure DevOps

DesktopTests/
  Windows/      MainWindow.cs  InvoiceDialog.cs
  Tests/
    Smoke/      LaunchTests.cs
    Invoices/   CreateInvoiceTests.cs  ExportTests.cs
    Install/    UpgradeTests.cs
  Api/          InvoicesClient.cs
  Data/         invoices.csv
  Config/       win11.json  win10.json
vm/             snapshots.yml
azure-pipelines.yml

Example only. Your layout follows your tool, language and team.

Desktop tools, and where each fits best

WinAppDriver

Windows apps through WebDriver, so teams can reuse Selenium-style skills.

Appium (Windows & Mac2)

One WebDriver-based approach across Windows and macOS apps.

Appium testing services →

FlaUI

.NET teams automating WPF, WinForms and Win32 apps in C#.

pywinauto

Python teams automating Win32 and UI Automation-based apps.

Squish

Qt, Java and cross-platform apps on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Playwright (Electron)

Electron apps, with direct access to the app’s web layer.

Playwright testing services →

WebdriverIO

JavaScript and TypeScript teams testing Electron or using Appium drivers.

SikuliX

Image-based automation for Citrix, remote sessions and custom-drawn controls.

AutoIt

Windows system dialogs and installer prompts other tools can’t reach.

Robot Framework

Keyword-driven tests that non-developers can read and extend.

TestComplete

Teams that want a commercial tool with recorded, scripted and image-based tests.

Ranorex

Teams that want a commercial tool with a recorder and C# code when needed.

Comparing tools in depth? See our tool-agnostic testing services →

[ How we work ]

Six steps from first call to a suite your team owns

You see working tests on real operating systems early, and you approve each stage before we build on it.

Step 1 of 6
Discovery

We review your app, how it’s built, the operating systems you support, your release cycle and current tests.

You getStrategy & feasibility reportOS & environment matrix
Step 2 of 6
Framework design

Tool, language, structure, test data, VM setup and reporting agreed with your team.

You getFramework code in your repo
Step 3 of 6
Pilot in your pipeline

A first set of real tests that builds, installs and runs from your CI, so you can judge the approach.

You getCI pipeline integration
Step 4 of 6
Scale coverage

Highest-risk workflows first, then installers, more OS versions and data combinations.

You getTest suiteCoverage map
Step 5 of 6
Run and report

Suites run on every build or agreed triggers. We triage failures and log real defects in your tracker.

You getReports with screenshots, video and logsDefect reports
Step 6 of 6
Maintain and hand over

Flaky tests fixed at the cause, the suite kept in step with each OS and app release, and a walkthrough for your team.

You getMaintenance logDocs and handover

[ Deliverables ]

What you receive

Everything below is yours to keep, whether we stay on to run the suite or hand it over to your team.

Automation strategy & feasibility report

What to automate, in what order and with which tool, and what should stay manual.

OS & environment coverage matrix

The OS versions, editions, display settings and VMs we test on, built from your customer data.

Framework source code in your repository

Committed to your repo, under your access controls, in your team’s language.

Test suite with coverage map

Which workflows, windows and environments are covered, and what comes next.

CI pipeline integration

Build, install and test jobs with quality gates in Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or Azure DevOps.

Execution reports per run

Allure or Extent reports with screenshots, video and logs for every failure.

Defect reports in your tracker

Steps, OS, build and evidence, logged in Jira.

Maintenance & flaky-test log

Each unstable test, its cause and the fix, so suite health stays visible.

Documentation & handover session

Setup guide, VM configuration and a live walkthrough so your team can run and extend the suite.

[ Ways to work ]

Six ways to work with our desktop automation engineers

A new suite, a rescue of an existing one, ongoing runs or an engineer in your team.

01Fixed-price projectChoose it for a new framework or a migration with a clear scope.02Managed testingChoose it when you want the suite built, run and maintained for you.03Dedicated QA teamChoose it when automation grows every sprint.04Staff augmentationChoose it when your team needs a desktop automation specialist for a while.05QA consultingChoose it for a review of your current suite and a plan to improve it.06On-demand testingChoose it for a one-off push, such as stabilising a flaky suite.

Hire our QAHire an automation engineerAn automation engineer who joins your sprints, works in your repository and grows coverage with your team.See the role → Start with no obligationFree desktop automation consultationTalk to an automation engineer about your app, the operating systems you support and your pipeline. We’ll suggest where automation pays off first.Book the consultation →

Not sure which fits? Find your model in four questions, compare all six or estimate your cost.

[ FAQ ]

Desktop automation testing questions, answered

[ Contact us ]

Talk to a desktop automation engineer

✓ Free one-week POC✓ NDA before access✓ A QA lead replies the same day

Book a free consultation

[ Keep exploring ]

Related testing services

All services →

Desktop Automation Testing Services

Desktop software runs on machines you don’t control

Regression that takes days by hand

More OS versions than machines

Installers and upgrades that break quietly

Older technology with few test hooks

What desktop automation changes in your product

Speed

Coverage

Release quality

Cost

Regression stability

Twelve kinds of desktop automation, matched to your app

Functional automation

Regression automation

Smoke & sanity on new builds

End-to-end workflows

Installer, upgrade & uninstall

Cross-OS & OS-version coverage

Data-driven tests

API-integrated tests

Database state validation

Image-based & visual checks

CI/CD-integrated automation

Suite maintenance & migration

Built with almost anything, on Windows, macOS or Linux

WPF

WinForms

UWP & WinUI

Win32 & MFC

Electron

Qt

Java Swing & JavaFX

Native macOS

Citrix & remote desktop

What you get from QAonTOP’s desktop automation service

Open-source or commercial, your call

A clean machine for every run

Code you own

Manual and automation under one roof

Failures you can act on

Flexible ways to engage

Our desktop automation technology stack

WinAppDriver

Appium (Windows & Mac2)

FlaUI

pywinauto

Squish

Playwright (Electron)

WebdriverIO

SikuliX

AutoIt

Robot Framework

TestComplete

Ranorex

Six steps from first call to a suite your team owns

Discovery

Framework design

Pilot in your pipeline

Scale coverage

Run and report

Maintain and hand over

What you receive

Automation strategy & feasibility report

OS & environment coverage matrix

Framework source code in your repository

Test suite with coverage map

CI pipeline integration

Execution reports per run

Defect reports in your tracker

Maintenance & flaky-test log

Documentation & handover session

Six ways to work with our desktop automation engineers

Desktop automation testing questions, answered

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Talk to a desktop automation engineer

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