Power Apps adds built-in device and screen detection
Reviewed by Helen Jones
Microsoft released two new objects in canvas apps called App and Host. Makers can now read properties such as device type, operating system, and screen size directly inside formulas. The change removes the need for external connectors or workarounds to detect whether a user is on a phone, tablet, or desktop. Early examples show simple conditional statements that change layout or hide controls based on these values. Access is limited to the latest Power Apps Studio runtime and requires no additional licensing.
Until now most builders handled mobile and desktop differences by copying the same screen twice or by writing long If statements that checked screen width. Those patterns worked in testing but became hard to maintain once real users appeared on different devices. The new objects make the same checks shorter and more reliable, yet they still leave the underlying layout problem untouched. Builders who already struggle with containers and responsive sizing now have another property to reference instead of fixing the root cause.
Analysis
Stop treating device detection as a formula problem. Open your largest app, delete every manual width check that references App or Host, and replace it with a single responsive container that actually adapts. If the screen still breaks after that change, the issue was never the missing device info.
Pulse published by Collab365 Spaces, reviewed by Helen Jones on . Cite as "Power Apps adds built-in device and screen detection", Collab365 Spaces. 1 source referenced.