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How to Fix Power Automate Approval Flow Stuck and Email Not Sent

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where a Power Automate approval flow gets stuck in the Running status, preventing the final notification email from being sent to the requester.

How to Fix Power Automate Approval Flow Stuck and Email Not Sent

Product: Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Running an approval flow where the final email notification action is incorrectly placed inside an 'Apply to each' loop.
Observed behavior: The workflow remains indefinitely in the 'Running' state, and the requester never receives the final approval notification email.

Before you start

Before editing your flow, check the 28-day run history in Power Automate to identify exactly which step is stuck or failing.

Solution 1Recommended

Move the Notification Action Outside the Apply to Each Loop

This is the most common fix when only a single notification email is required. Moving the action prevents the loop from stalling the flow.

When an approval action is placed inside an 'Apply to each' loop, the flow may wait indefinitely for multiple inputs or responses to resolve. If you only need one email sent to the requester after an approval, the email action should sit outside of the loop.

Edit the Workflow

Open Power Automate, navigate to 'My flows', select the stuck approval flow, and click the 'Edit' button.

Locate the Loop

Scroll down to the 'Apply to each' block that contains your final approval and email notification actions.

Relocate the Email Action

Drag the 'Send an email' (or similar notification) action completely outside and below the 'Apply to each' loop.

Save and Test

Click 'Save' in the upper right corner, then run a manual test to confirm the flow completes and the email is successfully sent.

Move the Notification Action Outside the Apply to Each Loop

Verification: After testing, check the run history. The status should now read 'Succeeded' instead of 'Running'.

Solution 2

Verify Approval Response Values and Recipient Expressions

Use this solution to ensure that the data being passed from the approval action to the email action is valid and properly formatted.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Power Automate flow stay in the 'Running' status indefinitely?

Flows typically remain in 'Running' status when they are waiting for an action to complete (such as an approval response from a user) or when they are trapped in an improperly configured 'Apply to each' loop that cannot resolve its inputs.

How can I view the run history of my flow to see where it gets stuck?

Navigate to the details page of your flow in Power Automate. Under the '28-day run history' section, you can click on any individual run to see a visual representation of which steps succeeded, failed, or are currently running.

Where can I get expert help for complex Power Automate issues?

For highly specific or complex workflow issues, it is recommended to post your flow definition and screenshots of your run history in the official Microsoft Power Automate Community forum, where product experts can provide targeted advice.

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