# How to run GUI-based OpenRPA workflows on a headless VMware Windows VM (no GPU or monitor attached)?

**URL:** <https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188>\
**Category:** OpenRPA\
**Created:** [November 12, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188 "2025-11-12T18:58:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ahmet\_Emin\_Herguner](https://discourse.openiap.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@Ahmet\_Emin\_Herguner](https://discourse.openiap.io/u/Ahmet_Emin_Herguner)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188/1 "2025-11-12T18:58:06Z")

</div>

Hi,

I need some advice regarding running OpenRPA workflows that require GUI interaction on a **headless Windows virtual machine** running on **VMware**.

Here’s the situation:

- The VM has **no GPU and no physical or virtual monitor attached**.

- The workflow contains actions that depend on GUI interaction (for example, clicking buttons or capturing screenshots).

- When I connect to the VM via **RDP** , everything works fine because a display session is created.

- However, due to **security policies** , I’m not allowed to connect to the customer’s server via RDP.

So, the robot needs to **run entirely inside the VM** , without any active RDP session or physical display.

👉 My question is:  
Is there a way to make OpenRPA access the GUI and perform screen-based automation on a headless Windows VM (no GPU, no monitor, no RDP session)?  
For example, by using a **dummy display driver** , a **virtual display adapter** , or some VMware setting that provides a virtual desktop context?

My goal is to make the GUI-based automation work **completely unattended** without requiring an RDP session or a connected monitor.

Any suggestions, workarounds, or experience with similar setups would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Anono\_Nono](https://discourse.openiap.io/user_avatar/discourse.openiap.io/anono_nono/32/2098_2.png) [@Anono\_Nono](https://discourse.openiap.io/u/Anono_Nono)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 7:15am UTC](https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188/2 "2025-11-13T07:15:06Z")

</div>

> [@Ahmet\_Emin\_Herguner](#):
>
> on a headless Windows VM (no GPU, no monitor, no RDP session)?

You’re contradicting yourself. You say “no GPU, no monitor, no RDP” then ask about “dummy display driver, virtual display adapter.”  
GUI automation needs a display buffer to render to - virtual or physical.  
Which do you actually want?  
• Truly nothing? (Impossible)  
• No physical hardware but virtual display OK? (Possible)  
If virtual display is fine: Install IddSampleDriver, use VMware SVGA with auto-login, try RDP wrapper tweaks, or use VNC service mode.  
Clarify what you actually have and what’s allowed.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Allan\_Zimmermann](https://discourse.openiap.io/user_avatar/discourse.openiap.io/allan_zimmermann/32/12_2.png) [@Allan\_Zimmermann](https://discourse.openiap.io/u/Allan_Zimmermann)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 7:53am UTC](https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188/3 "2025-11-13T07:53:08Z")

</div>

@Anono_Nono is right here. But there is also the option to install the HDRobot service on either the host machine or the virtual machine, and use that to keep a RDP session a live.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ahmet\_Emin\_Herguner](https://discourse.openiap.io/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@Ahmet\_Emin\_Herguner](https://discourse.openiap.io/u/Ahmet_Emin_Herguner)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188/4 "2025-11-13T13:53:08Z")

</div>

Thank you for your replies, ı solved this with hdrobots 🙏

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://discourse.openiap.io/uploads/default/original/2X/a/a1ca7b164ac9a826839704d9ac82c7b5e6bcf557.png) [@system](https://discourse.openiap.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://discourse.openiap.io/t/how-to-run-gui-based-openrpa-workflows-on-a-headless-vmware-windows-vm-no-gpu-or-monitor-attached/3188/5 "2025-11-20T13:53:09Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 7 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.