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Give AI Assistant one page URL, and Auto-detect generates a task from it, using the same auto-detect algorithm as Octoparse Desktop. The task is saved to your account, ready to adjust and run in Octoparse Desktop.

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When to use Auto-detect

Auto-detect is a good fit when:
  • You have the URL of the page that shows the data
  • The page is well structured, such as a list of products, a table, or search results
  • You want to adjust the task yourself in Octoparse Desktop
Auto-detect works on one page at a time. For data that takes several steps to reach, or needs a sign-in, try Browser Use or Cloud Agent.

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Generate a task from a URL

1

Pick Auto-detect

When you start a new chat, pick Auto-detect in the mode selector. Or, when AI Assistant suggests it in a chat, select Auto-detect this page.
2

Paste one page URL

Paste the URL of the page that shows the data, not the site’s homepage, and send it. Include exactly one link: with none or more than one, you can’t send the message.
Go to the page with the data in your browser first, then copy its URL. See Start from the page that shows the data.
3

Check the task preview

If Auto-detect finds the data, AI Assistant shows a Task preview: the fields it found, a sample of the data, and any warnings. The task is saved to your account, and the preview shows Generated and saved to cloud.

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If Auto-detect can’t find the data

A task is only created when Auto-detect finds the data on the page. If it can’t, no task preview appears, no task is saved, and AI Assistant explains in the chat. You can:
  • Make sure the URL is the page that shows the data, not the site’s homepage, and try again. This is the most common cause.
  • Ask AI Assistant to try Browser Use or Cloud Agent instead.
  • Start the task in Octoparse Desktop instead. If the data only appears after you sign in, close a pop-up, search, or switch tabs, Desktop lets you add those steps before it detects the data. See How to fix “Not the right webpage?”.
For other messages, see Troubleshooting.

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Open the task in Octoparse Desktop

Select Open in Octoparse to open the task in Octoparse Desktop. If Desktop isn’t installed, the download page opens instead. You can also find the task in your task list, or copy its ID with Copy task ID. The chat itself isn’t kept after you leave it, but the task is. See Chats and tasks.

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Edit the task in Octoparse Desktop

The generated task is a regular Octoparse Desktop task, so you edit it the same way as any task you build yourself. Check the fields and pagination first, then fix anything that’s off. See What to review after detection for a checklist. Common fixes, step by step in the Help Center: When the task looks right, run it on your computer or on Octoparse Cloud, and schedule it if you need the data regularly. See Local vs. cloud runs.

Auto-detect in Octoparse Desktop

How auto-detect works, what to review, and its limits.

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