Salesforce Winter '27 flow runtime updates have different adoption controls: enforced user context requires an explicit selection; qualifying background steps run synchronously at runtime API 68.0 or later.
Enforce user permissions across caller contexts
The new enforced user context option, User Context - Enforces User Permissions, applies to screen flows and autolaunched flows running on API 68.0 or later. It keeps execution at the running user’s access level, even when the caller is Apex, another flow, or automation running in system context. Previously, a user-context flow could inherit elevated permissions from a system-context caller.
Select it under **Show Advanced > How to Run the Flow**. Raising the runtime version alone does not select it.
Background steps follow the runtime version
In flow approval processes and orchestrations, background steps that call synchronous actions now run synchronously at runtime API 68.0 or later, reducing end-to-end latency. Earlier versions retain asynchronous execution for those steps.
For existing processes and orchestrations, raise the runtime API version to 68.0 or later in **Flow Builder version properties** to adopt this behavior.
Test permissions and timing separately
Record the runtime version and run context before changing a flow. For approval processes and orchestrations, record the execution mode and end-to-end latency before the version increase.
With enforced user context selected, test allowed and denied operations through each caller path the flow uses: Apex, another flow, or system-context automation. Check outcomes against the running user’s permissions. Don’t use successful completion as the permission test.
For background steps that call synchronous actions, compare execution mode and end-to-end latency before and after moving to API 68.0 or later. Record which steps you tested and the measured latency difference.