Unable to call a child flow – "old version of Flow"

(2) Share

Report

Posted on by Syed Obaidullah Ali

I'm trying to use a child flow from a parent flow using the Run a Child Flow action, but I'm consistently receiving the following error:

The workflow with id 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx', name 'SubmitFile ' cannot be used as a child workflow because it is on an old version of Flow. Please re-create it inside a solution.

The parent flow is a Recurrence flow and is using the new designer. The child flow is inside the same unmanaged Solution and is in the same environment.

I have also created the child flow from scratch using the new designer. At that point, it opened in the new designer. However, after I updated the Run-only users settings to use static connections, I noticed that the child flow started opening in the classic designer instead.

Has anyone experienced this issue and how can I resolve this error?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Categories:

Building flows

General topics

Using flows

I have the same question (0)

All responses (7)

Answers (0)

Sort by

Suggested answer

Valantis 6,488 on at

Like (1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Hi. @Syed Obaidullah Ali,

updating Run-only users to use static connections is what's triggering the downgrade to the classic designer and marking the flow as an old version. Microsoft docs confirm this is a known incompatibility.

The fix is to delete the child flow and recreate it from scratch inside the solution with the new designer, but this time configure the static connections correctly from the start, in that exact order:

1. Create the child flow inside the solution using the new designer with a "Manually trigger a flow" trigger

2. Before saving the first time, go to the flow's properties page > Run only users > Edit, and set each connection to "Use this connection (connection name)" instead of "Provided by run-only user"

3. Save after that, without ever switching to the classic designer at any point

Microsoft docs confirm:

child flows only support embedded connections, meaning static connections you select in Run-only users are required, but the way you configure them matters. Setting them via the properties page before the flow's schema gets locked into classic format is key.

If the flow keeps reverting to classic designer after saving, it usually means something in the trigger or an action is incompatible with the new designer schema. Check if any action in the child flow is one of the known incompatible ones and replace it with the new designer equivalent.

Ref: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/create-child-flows

Best regards,

Valantis

✅ If this helped solve your issue, please Accept as Solution so others can find it quickly.

❤️ If it didn’t fully solve it but was still useful, please click “Yes” on “Was this reply helpful?” or leave a Like :).

🏷️ For follow-ups @Valantis.

📝 https://valantisond365.com/

💼 LinkedIn

▶️ YouTube

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Syed Obaidullah Ali 4 on at

Like (1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

@Valantis How to set each connection to "Use this connection (connection name)" instead of "Provided by run-only user" without saving the flow first?

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Suggested answer

Haque 3,470 on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!
Hi @Syed Obaidullah Ali,

First impression: Child flows must be created and managed inside a Solution to be callable as child flows.

Steps to fix:

1. Ensure both parent and child flows are inside the same unmanaged Solution.

2. In the child flow:

Go to Run-only users settings.

Change all connectors from “Provided by run-only user” to specific user connections (static connections).

Save the changes.

3. Open the child flow in the new designer, make a trivial edit (e.g., rename an action label), then save and publish.

4. Confirm the child flow still opens in the new designer and does not revert to classic.

5. In the parent flow, re-select the child flow in the “Run a Child Flow” action to refresh the reference.

6. Save and publish the parent flow.

I am sure some clues I tried to give. If these clues help to resolve the issue brought you by here, please don't forget to check the box Does this answer your question? At the same time, I am pretty sure you have liked the response!

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Suggested answer

11manish 3,033 on at

Like (0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

The fact that the child flow switches back to the classic designer after configuring Run-only users is the biggest clue.

I would first verify that the child flow uses the dedicated child-flow trigger, all connections are managed through connection references, and the

flow remains editable in the modern designer.

If the issue persists, create a brand-new minimal child flow inside the solution and test it from the parent flow before migrating the existing

logic.

This has resolved the issue for many users encountering the same "old version of Flow" error.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Suggested answer

Valantis 6,488 on at

Like (1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Hi @Syed Obaidullah Ali,

Good question. You do need to save at least once first before the Run-only users option becomes available, since that setting only appears on the flow's detail page after initial save. Here's the corrected sequence:

1. Create the child flow inside the solution with the Manually trigger a flow trigger
2. Add your actions but don't configure any connection-sensitive settings yet
3. Save the flow once
4. Go back to the flow's detail page (not the editor, the main page with the title and description)
5. Click Edit next to Run only users, set each connection to Use this connection and select the specific connection
6. Save the Run-only users change from that detail page
7. Do not open the flow in the editor again after this, going back into the editor after setting Run-only users is what can trigger the downgrade to classic

If the flow has already reverted to classic designer, the only reliable fix is to create it fresh and follow this sequence. A flow that has opened in classic designer even once tends to stay there.

Best regards,

Valantis

✅ If this helped solve your issue, please Accept as Solution so others can find it quickly.

❤️ If it didn’t fully solve it but was still useful, please click “Yes” on “Was this reply helpful?” or leave a Like :).

🏷️ For follow-ups @Valantis.

📝 https://valantisond365.com/

💼 LinkedIn

▶️ YouTube

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Syed Obaidullah Ali 4 on at

Like (1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

It works fine until I move the logic into the new child flow. Once I refresh, it switches back to the classic designer, and I'm no longer able to call the child flow.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Suggested answer

Valantis 6,488 on at

Like (1)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Hi @Syed Obaidullah Ali,

The empty child flow stays in the new designer but reverts once you add your logic. That tells us one or more of the actions you're copying into the flow is incompatible with the new designer schema, which forces it back to classic.

To find the culprit, add your actions one by one and save after each addition. After each save, check if the flow still opens in the new designer. The first action that causes the revert is the incompatible one.

Common actions that trigger this: Send an email V2 (classic version), any connector action that hasn't been updated to the new designer schema, or actions from older connector versions. When you find the one causing it, check if there's a newer version of the same action available and swap to that.

Also worth checking: are you using connection references or direct connections on the actions?

New designer child flows work better with connection references rather than hardcoded connections. If any action has a direct connection instead of a connection reference, swap it to use a connection reference from the solution.

Best regards,

Valantis

✅ If this helped solve your issue, please Accept as Solution so others can find it quickly.

❤️ If it didn’t fully solve it but was still useful, please click “Yes” on “Was this reply helpful?” or leave a Like :).

🏷️ For follow-ups @Valantis.

📝 https://valantisond365.com/

💼 LinkedIn

▶️ YouTube

Was this reply helpful? Yes No