---
title: Browser Startup
description: Run the flow when the browser starts.
---

Run a workflow automatically each time you open your browser.

## What it does

When the browser starts, the AWFlow extension opens its app tab (if it is not open yet) and runs every activated workflow that has a Browser Startup trigger. Only the branch after this trigger runs.

It fires on browser startup only. Installing or updating the extension does not run it, and neither does opening a new window while the browser is already running.

## When to use it

* Open the tabs you need every morning with [Tab Control](/nodes/extension/tabcontrol/).
* Check a status page or an API once per browser session and notify yourself.
* Reset values you keep in [Data Store](/nodes/builtin/core/datastore/) at the start of each session.

For a fixed time of day, use [Schedule](/nodes/builtin/trigger/schedule/) instead.

## Inputs and settings

This node has no settings.

## Outputs

Each output item has these fields:

```json title="Shape of an output item"
{
  "triggerType": "browserStartup",
  "triggeredAt": "…",
  "reason": "…",
  "startedAt": null
}
```

`reason` is `startup`. `triggeredAt` and `startedAt` are the date and time of the run. When you test the trigger yourself in the designer, `startedAt` is empty.

## Dependencies and credentials

None. This node needs no connection and has no slots for other nodes.

## Example workflow

Open your work tabs when the browser starts:

1. Add **Browser Startup**.
2. Add [Tab Control](/nodes/extension/tabcontrol/) with **Operation** set to **Open** and **URL** `https://mail.google.com/`.
3. Add a second Tab Control with **Operation** **Open**, **URL** `https://calendar.google.com/` and **Open Focused** turned off.
4. Activate the workflow, then restart the browser.

## Common issues

* **Nothing runs when the browser opens.** The workflow must be activated. Also check that the browser really restarted: some browsers keep running in the background after you close the last window, so reopening a window is not a startup.
* **It does not run right after installing the extension.** That is expected. The trigger only fires on the next browser startup.
* **It does not run in the web app.** This node runs in the browser extension; install it and activate the workflow there.

## Related nodes

* [Schedule](/nodes/builtin/trigger/schedule/): run at set times instead.
* [When Started](/nodes/builtin/trigger/whenstarted/): run the same steps by hand.
* [Tab Control](/nodes/extension/tabcontrol/): open, focus or group tabs.