Understanding the Differences Between "Save" and "Publish" in Canvas Apps

When working with canvas apps in Power Apps, understanding the distinction between "Save" and "Publish" is crucial for managing your app's versions and ensuring that your updates reach the intended users. Let's explore these two actions and their impact on your app.

Save Your App

Whenever you make changes to a canvas app, it's important to save those changes. Saving creates a new version in your app's version history, allowing you to track updates and revert if necessary. There are several ways to save your app:

• Save: Simply select the Save icon to save any unsaved changes.
• Save with version notes: Add notes about your updates to help identify specific changes.
• Save as: Create a duplicate of the app under a different name.
• Download a copy: Save a local copy of your app for backup or offline access

It's important to note that saving your app only makes these changes visible to you and anyone else with edit permissions. This allows you to continue refining the app without affecting the experience for end users.

Publish Your App

Once you're satisfied with the changes you've made, you'll need to publish them to make them available to everyone with whom the app is shared. Publishing is an explicit action that pushes the latest version of your app to all users.

Key Points to Remember:

• Performance Enhancements: When you publish your app, it automatically runs on the latest version of Power Apps, incorporating new features and performance upgrades. If you haven't published an update in several months, you might notice an immediate improvement in app performance.
• Version Control: You can view all versions of your app by navigating to Power Apps > Apps, selecting the app, and choosing Details > Versions. The live version is what your users interact with, while the most recent version is accessible only to those with edit permissions.

Managing App Versions and Updates

Publishing updates might take a few seconds to reflect, depending on the complexity of the app. Users already using the app will need to refresh it to see the latest changes. Power Apps also includes in-app notifications to inform users when a new version is available, making the transition smoother.