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Use a custom connector

Import the PDF Blocks connector from GitHub as a custom connector to use the newest actions and parameters before they reach the published connector.

The published PDF Blocks connector in Power Automate is certified by Microsoft, so new actions and parameters reach it on Microsoft’s review cadence rather than ours. When you need a capability that is already in the connector definition but has not rolled out to the published connector yet — the split and reorder actions, page selection, or the encryption options — you can install the latest definition yourself as a custom connector by importing it from GitHub.

The connector definition is open source and lives in Microsoft’s PowerPlatformConnectors repository. Power Automate can build a custom connector straight from it, so you never copy files by hand.

A custom connector lives in a single Power Platform environment and is not certified. It works exactly like the published connector — same actions, same API key — but you maintain it: re-import to pick up later updates. When the published connector catches up, you can switch your flows back to it.

Before you start

  • A paid Power Automate plan (per-user or per-flow), the same requirement as the published connector.
  • Permission to create custom connectors in your environment. If you don’t see Custom connectors, ask your Power Platform administrator.
  • Your PDF Blocks API key, ready for when you create the connection. See Getting started if you don’t have one.

Import the connector

Open Custom connectors

In Power Automate, expand the left menu, choose More, and open Custom connectors. (You can also reach the same page from the Power Apps maker portal under Discover all → Custom connectors.)

Start a new connector from GitHub

Select + New custom connector, then choose Import from GitHub.

New custom connector → Import from GitHub.
Select the PDF Blocks connector

In the Import from Github dialog:

  • Set Connector Type to Certified — this reads from the certified connectors folder of the open-source repository, where PDF Blocks lives.
  • Choose a Branch. Pick the branch that carries the update you need (for example dev for the latest, or a release branch for a pinned version).
  • Set Connector to PDF Blocks.

Select Continue.

Choose Certified, pick a branch, and select the PDF Blocks connector.

Use the Click here to explore the open source repository link in the dialog to browse the exact definition before importing.

Create the connector

Power Automate loads the connector’s definition into the editor. You don’t need to change anything — step through the General, Security, and Definition tabs to review it if you like, then select Create connector in the top right. Give it a recognizable name (for example PDF Blocks Next) so you can tell it apart from the published connector.

Create a connection

The first time you add an action from your custom connector to a flow, Power Automate asks for the same connection parameters as the published connector: a Connection Name, your API Key, and an optional Server Hostname. See Getting started for what each one means.

Use the new actions

In a flow, add an action and search for the name you gave your custom connector. Its actions — including the ones not yet in the published connector, such as Split a PDF by page count and Reorder the pages of a PDF — appear alongside everything else, ready to configure.

Keeping it up to date

A custom connector is a snapshot of the definition at import time. When we ship more updates, repeat Import from GitHub on the same connector (or re-import and recreate) to refresh it. Because the custom connector and the published connector are independent, you can keep both installed and move each flow over when you’re ready.

Getting started

Set up your first PDF Blocks connection and API key.

Merge PDF documents

Start with a core action once your connector is installed.