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‎support/power-platform/power-apps/create-and-use-apps/monitor-debugging-canvas-apps-without-live-monitor.md‎

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---
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title: Debug canvas apps without Live monitor
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description: Learn alternative approaches to debug Power Apps canvas apps when Live monitor isn't available, such as in SharePoint forms or custom portal embeddings.
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ms.date: 01/20/2026
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ms.reviewer: carlosff, v-shaywood
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ms.custom: sap:Running Canvas App
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---
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<!-- [CUSTOMER INTENT: As a Power Apps maker, I want to debug canvas app issues when I can't use Live monitor, so I can troubleshoot problems in embedded or hosted scenarios.] -->
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# Debug canvas apps without Live monitor
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This article describes alternative debugging approaches for Power Apps canvas apps when [Live monitor](/power-apps/maker/monitor-canvasapps) isn't available. Use these techniques for SharePoint integrated forms, custom pages, or custom portal embeddings where you can't open Live monitor alongside the app.
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## Summary
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Live monitor is the recommended tool for debugging canvas apps because it shows real-time events and works with the [Trace function](/power-platform/power-fx/reference/function-trace). However, some hosted or embedded scenarios don't support it. This article covers alternatives like Application Insights, Dataverse logging tables, SharePoint list logging, and on-screen diagnostics panels.
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For scenarios where Live monitor is available, see [Debug canvas apps with Live monitor and Trace](monitor-debugging-canvas-apps.md).
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## Alternative debugging approaches
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When Live monitor isn't available, choose an alternative based on your environment and needs:
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| Alternative | Best for | Notes |
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| ----------- | -------- | ----- |
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| [Application Insights](#application-insights-integration) | Centralized telemetry and performance monitoring | Requires Azure setup. Emits traces and metrics outside Power Apps. |
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| [Dataverse logging table](#write-debug-records-to-dataverse) | Ad-hoc diagnostics and audit trails | Create a custom table. Use guarded logic to write records when debugging. |
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| [SharePoint list logging](#write-debug-records-to-sharepoint) | Lightweight environments without Dataverse | Use `Collect` or `Patch` to a list. Prune entries to control size. |
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| [On-screen diagnostics panel](#create-an-on-screen-diagnostics-panel) | Immediate feedback during testing | Only for secure audiences. Remove before broad rollout. |
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## Application Insights integration
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[Application Insights](/power-apps/maker/canvas-apps/application-insights) provides centralized telemetry for canvas apps. It captures performance metrics, errors, and custom traces in Azure Monitor, where you can analyze data across sessions and users.
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This approach requires:
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- An Azure subscription
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- An Application Insights resource
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- Configuration in the Power Apps app settings
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For setup instructions, see [Analyze app telemetry using Application Insights](/power-apps/maker/canvas-apps/application-insights).
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## Write debug records to Dataverse
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If your environment includes Dataverse, create a custom **Debug Logs** table to capture diagnostic information. This approach works well for ad-hoc troubleshooting and audit trails.
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### Create the Debug Logs table
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1. In [Power Apps](https://make.powerapps.com), go to **Tables** and create a new table named **Debug Logs**.
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1. Add the following columns:
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- **Title** (Single line of text): A label for the log entry.
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- **UserEmail** (Single line of text): The email of the user.
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- **Timestamp** (Date and time): When the event occurred.
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- **Payload** (Multiple lines of text): Additional data in JSON format.
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- Add other columns as needed for your scenario (for example, **CartCount**, **ScreenName**).
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### Example: Write a debug record to Dataverse
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Use a guarded `Patch` call to write records only when a debug query string parameter is present:
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```powerfx
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If(Param("debug") = "true",
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Patch(
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'Debug Logs',
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Defaults('Debug Logs'),
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{
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Title: "BeforeSubmit",
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UserEmail: User().Email,
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CartCount: CountRows(colCart),
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Timestamp: Now(),
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Payload: JSON({customerId: ddCustomer.Selected.Id})
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}
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)
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);
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```
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### Run the app in debug mode
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To enable debug logging, add `&debug=true` to the app URL:
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```text
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https://apps.powerapps.com/play/e/[environment-id]/a/[app-id]?debug=true
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```
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After reproducing the issue, open the **Debug Logs** table in Dataverse to review the captured records.
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> [!NOTE]
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> Remove or disable debug logging before you deploy the app broadly. Periodically delete old log entries to manage storage.
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## Write debug records to SharePoint
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For lightweight environments without Dataverse, use a SharePoint list to capture debug information.
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### Create the debug list
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1. In SharePoint, create a new list named **AppDebugLogs**.
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1. Add columns for **Title**, **UserEmail**, **Timestamp**, **Payload**, and any other data you want to capture.
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### Example: Write a debug record to SharePoint
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```powerfx
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If(Param("debug") = "true",
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Patch(
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AppDebugLogs,
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Defaults(AppDebugLogs),
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{
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Title: "BeforeSubmit",
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UserEmail: User().Email,
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Timestamp: Now(),
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Payload: JSON({customerId: ddCustomer.Selected.Id, cartCount: CountRows(colCart)})
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}
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)
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);
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```
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> [!NOTE]
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> SharePoint lists have storage limits. Prune old entries regularly to prevent the list from growing too large.
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## Create an on-screen diagnostics panel
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For immediate feedback during testing, create a diagnostics panel that displays debug information directly in the app. This approach is useful when you need to see values in real time.
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### Step 1: Collect debug data
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Instead of using Trace, collect data to a local collection:
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```powerfx
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If(
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Param("debug") = "true",
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Collect(
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debugTraces,
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{
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Timestamp: Now(),
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Data: $"Before submit for {User().Email} with {CountRows(colCart)} items in the cart"
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}
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)
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)
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```
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### Step 2: Add a text control to display traces
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Add a text control to the screen that shows the collected traces. Set its **Visible** property so it only appears in debug mode.
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**Control properties:**
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| Property | Value |
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| -------- | ----- |
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| **Text** | `Concat(debugTraces, $"[{Text(Timestamp, "hh:mm:ss.fff")}] {Data}", Char(10))` |
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| **Visible** | `Param("debug") = "true"` |
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| **Height** | 200 |
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| **Width** | 300 |
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| **X** | `Parent.Width - 320` |
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| **Y** | 20 |
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This displays a scrollable list of debug messages that you can copy and analyze outside the app.
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### Example YAML for the text control
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If you're using Power Apps Studio's YAML view:
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```yaml
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- TextDebugPanel:
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Control: [email protected]
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Properties:
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Height: =200
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Size: =12
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Text: |-
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=Concat(
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debugTraces,
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$"[{Text(Timestamp,"hh:mm:ss.fff")}] {Data}",
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Char(10))
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Visible: =Param("debug") = "true"
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Width: =300
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X: =Parent.Width - 320
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Y: =20
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```
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> [!IMPORTANT]
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> Remove or hide the diagnostics panel before deploying the app to end users. Users who open the app with the debug parameter shouldn't see internal diagnostic information.
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## Best practices for alternative debugging
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- **Guard debug controls**: Use query string parameters (`Param("debug") = "true"`) or role checks to show debug features only during testing.
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- **Clean up before deployment**: Remove debug controls, logging calls, and diagnostic panels before you deploy broadly.
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- **Manage log storage**: For Dataverse or SharePoint logging, periodically delete old entries.
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- **Use meaningful labels**: Include descriptive titles like "BeforeSubmit" or "OnVisible_OrderScreen" to make logs easier to analyze.
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- **Include context**: Log the user email, screen name, and relevant data values so you can correlate entries across sessions.
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## Related content
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- [Debug canvas apps with Live monitor and Trace](monitor-debugging-canvas-apps.md)
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- [Analyze app telemetry using Application Insights](/power-apps/maker/canvas-apps/application-insights)
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- [Collaborative debugging with Live monitor](/power-apps/maker/monitor-collaborative-debugging)
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- [Live monitor overview](/power-apps/maker/monitor-overview)
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- [Trace function reference](/power-platform/power-fx/reference/function-trace)

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