Microsoft introduced the Universal Windows Platform or UWP in Windows 8.1. UWP is meant to allow an application to run on desktops, tablets, and Microsoft’s now defunct mobile phones. Because they are designed to run in different environments, UWP programs do not follow the traditional win32 design standards. Many things that traditional Windows desktop programs do are not allowed with a UWP program. And, these limitations are by design.

Chris Hoffman of How-To Geek describes it this way: Universal Apps Are More Limited, and That’s the Point

“[UWP] Apps are run in a sandbox, limiting the files they can access on your system. They can’t interfere with other apps and snoop on you. They can’t launch themselves at startup or constantly run in the background. Universal apps are designed to be portable and run on Windows Phone, Xbox, and other platforms. These new universal apps have more in common with mobile apps on iPhone, iPad, or Android than they do with traditional desktop apps. … Microsoft would like to only distribute safe apps that aren’t a security, privacy, or performance risk.”

As more programs are rewritten as UWP apps we receive comments and questions such as “I want to be able to activate UWP controls.”, “Will you ever work inside UWP apps?”, “Does not work reliably in UWP apps”, and “In UWP apps some key combinations are not effective as hotkeys.”

What we do know about UWP applications is that while some hotkey activations work many do not. Window Control macro commands do not work because UWP programs do not contain Window Controls. (Some traditional Windows programs do not contain Window Controls either.) Some macro commands work and others do not. For example, the “Window Minimize” macro command works but the “Window Restore” and “Window Maximize” macro commands do not. There are few Alt key shortcuts. The traditional File … Help menus are not available. Often they do not allow using only keystrokes to navigate and operate them. They run more slowly than traditional Windows programs.

However, with some effort and tinkering you can write macros that work within the limitations of UWP programs. Macro commands that perform mouse movements, mouse clicks, and typing keystrokes work. Macros automating UWP programs will need to run slower and contain longer delays.

When a macro runs, Macro Express itself does not perform the tasks such as “Window Restore”. Macro Express asks Windows to perform that function using API calls. If Windows does not respond to a macro command then Macro Express cannot perform that function.

Unless Microsoft changes how UWP programs work they will never be as accessible via macros as traditional Windows programs.