# RS: virtual controller switch to AUTO

**URL:** <https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/t/rs-virtual-controller-switch-to-auto/15040>\
**Category:** RobotStudio\
**Tags:** virtual-controller\
**Created:** [June 30, 2026, 2:36pm UTC](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/t/rs-virtual-controller-switch-to-auto/15040 "2026-06-30T14:36:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![daniel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@daniel72](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/u/daniel72)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 2:36pm UTC](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/t/rs-virtual-controller-switch-to-auto/15040/1 "2026-06-30T14:36:01Z")

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Why does the virtual controller switch from MANUAL to AUTO as soon as changes are made in the RapidEditor? What is the reason for this? How can it be disabled? We often need to debug programs in single-step mode with the FlexPendant open, and this behavior is extremely disruptive.

Greetings Daniel

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**Author:** ![lemster68](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/tech-community.robotics.abb.com/lemster68/32/1945_2.png) [@lemster68](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/u/lemster68)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2026, 4:16pm UTC](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/t/rs-virtual-controller-switch-to-auto/15040/2 "2026-06-30T16:16:48Z")

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A very similar question was posed years ago regarding this behavior and the answer was that it is a “feature” not a bug. I expect that many others, myself included, feel that this “feature” just go away. Imagine if one were working on a real robot and pendant and this guy keeps switching the controller into auto after each change one makes. It would not take long before Mr. Automatic Guy got his hand slapped.

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**Author:** ![Railan\_Santos](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/tech-community.robotics.abb.com/railan_santos/32/4665_2.png) [@Railan\_Santos](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/u/Railan_Santos)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2026, 1:05am UTC](https://tech-community.robotics.abb.com/t/rs-virtual-controller-switch-to-auto/15040/3 "2026-08-06T01:05:23Z")

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Unfortunately, this is an old behavior in the software.