Power BI Desktop has been a breath of fresh air for how we used to analyze and see data, and it is an indispensable tool for any business and data addict. It is such a powerful business intelligence solution that we can connect with different data sources, generate beautiful visualizations, and learn unusual things. That’s why we know the importance of having the latest version of Power BI Desktop so you can get the most out of its latest features and enhancements. In this guide, I’ll show you how to download Power BI Desktop and get it up and running on your computer.

Then we’ll discuss choosing between a download from the Microsoft Store or the official website and show you exactly how to install the software. We’ll also speak about system requirements to make a successful setup and the advantages of receiving updates on the fly in case you’ve got a Microsoft account. At the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to join the data analysis world with Power BI Desktop.

Selecting the Right Power BI Desktop Download

When it comes to getting Power BI Desktop, we have two main options: the Microsoft Store app and MSI installer only. However, all these methods have their pros and cons, so let us take a look, and you can choose the best method for what you need.

Microsoft Store App

There are several benefits to having the Microsoft Store app version of Power BI Desktop. Made for Windows 10 and later, it will work well on users’ Windows devices that are up to date. A big advantage is that the updates are automatic.

That means you’ll always have the most up-to-date version without having to download and install it. Additionally, the installation happens much more smoothly, as it does not require administrative privileges and runs in the background.

Another positive is that the update download size is much smaller than with other schemes, as they consist of just the components that changed. This will spare you time and bandwidth if you have them restricted on the internet. The Microsoft Store for Business makes integration with company policies easy for organizations, and everything your users see is consistent, always the same version.

MSI Installer

However, the more traditional way of installing Power BI Desktop is with the MSI installer. There is a single executable file that contains all allowed languages and gets split into two files (one for 32-bit and one for 64-bit) versions. Since this approach allows users to more closely control the installation process, it is more easily supported on a larger number of Windows versions. This is where the MSI installer excels with the ability to customize during the installation process with command-line parameters. This is particularly useful to IT administrators who need to deploy Power BI Desktop on numerous machines inside the organization.

Pros and Cons of Each Method

It’s easy to use, and automatic updates also make the Microsoft Store app shine—guarantees you are always up to date on the latest features. But it’s available only for Windows 10 or later, and some companies may block access to the Microsoft Store. Msi installer offers more ease of Windows compatibility and the flexibility of installation customization. But it must be manually updated with administrative privileges on installation.

In short, the Microsoft Store app or MSI installer is right for you, depending on your situation: your environment (including your operating system) and your organization’s policies. No matter how you pick and whichever method you use, you will be on your way to driving data analysis in the awesome world of Power BI Desktop.

Download Power BI Desktop (Quick Guide)

When attempting to dive into Power BI Desktop, we were very excited and wanted to let you know that we understand the process of getting started with Power BI Desktop. You’ll be up and running in no time with these steps.

Accessing the Download Page

First, we have to go to the official Power BI website. Go to the Power BI Desktop download page on your favorite web browser and click on Download. We’ll then end up at one where there will be an obvious ‘Download Free’ button. This button will try to redirect us to the Microsoft Store or a direct download page based on our system settings.

Language and Version Selection

In case you download Power BI Desktop, we can select our desired language. But it’s worth mentioning that Power BI automatically detects the language used on our computer and downloads it accordingly. If we need a different language, we can change it later in the settings of the app. If you’re using the direct download method, we’ll have to pick 32-bit or 64-bit versions. But we must pick the right version to get the most out of it, which means choosing the version that is suitable for our system architecture.

Saving the Installation File

Once we have started the download, we will be required to select where on our computer we want to save the installation file. It’s wise to pick the place that is easy to remember, i.e. the Downloads folder or the desktop. Typically the file will be called something “PBIDesktopSetup.exe”.

After the download is complete, we are now prepared for the installation. Remember, Power BI Desktop is a free application, therefore we don’t need to worry about any cost of the download. Doing this, we’ve successfully downloaded Power BI Desktop and we’re now ready to install this amazing tool for data analysis and visualization.

Seamless Installation Process

Once we download Power BI Desktop, it’s ready for installation! Alright, let’s chalk this potent tool up and running on our machine.

Step-by-Step Installation

First, find the location of the file that we just downloaded to begin. It’s usually called “PBIDesktopSetup.exe” and you just double-click on it to launch the installer. Your permission might be requested to allow changes to your device – select ‘Yes’ to continue. We will be walked through the process with the installation wizard. Still, we’ll need to agree to the license agreement and decide where to install Power BI Desktop. By default, this works fine for most users. When we have our choices made, click ‘install’ and the wizard will take care of the rest.

Configuring Initial Settings

On the first launch of Power BI Desktop, we will be welcomed! That is, here, we can sign in with our Microsoft account. Although this step is optional, signing in lets us do things like read and write more features making it easy to automatically publish our reports to the Power BI service.

Then we’ll want to set some settings so that we can get more out of our experience. Clicking the gear symbol will bring up the Options menu. And here we can change pretty much anything in Power BI Desktop to our liking. To give just one example, we might want to accidentally disable auto date/time for new files in the “Data Load” box so we have more control over our data models.

Successful installation verification

So let’s create a simple report and ensure Power BI Desktop is installed correctly. From the Home tab, click on “Get data” and select a data source. If we can get a basic visualization going if we can get to data, we know we did it.

Don’t forget that Power BI Desktop is updated monthly with new features. These updates will happen automatically if we install them through Microsoft Store and in this manner, we’ll always have the latest version. In the case of manual installations, we’ll have to check for updates manually. Now that Power BI Desktop is up, and ready to go, we’re going to get into the world of data analysis and beautiful visualization.

Conclusion

Having Power BI Desktop requires us to think, make logical sense of our data, and understand it very well, so it is a must-have tool for every business and data enthusiast. From which download option to choose, to installing this powerful software in your system, we’ve walked through the process. Now, with these steps following you, you’re ready to explore the world of data analytics and create amazing visualizations. But always remember to keep up to date with the latest version of Power BI Desktop because it is the key to using all of its features to the fullest extent.

Now all you need to do is whether you want to keep it automatic, via the Microsoft Store, or have it manually using the MSI Installer, and you’re good to go with your data analysis adventure. Go ahead and explore your data, and find insights to drive your business forward.

FAQs

1. How do you download Power BI Desktop?

Power BI Desktop can be installed as an app from the Microsoft Store, and you can download it there. Either in Power BI service or Power BI Desktop, click on the Download icon at the top corner of the Power BI service and select Power BI Desktop. You can also go to the Power BI Desktop product page and click on ‘Download Free’.

2. How to use Power BI from the beginning?

If you don’t already have a Power BI online account, open a new window and sign in to it. From there, open the Power BI service and add and view data in either read or edit mode. You can use this to create visualizations and save your designs as a report. Once you have created your report, pin tiles into a dashboard.

3. What file type should I download for Power BI Desktop?

The name of the files for Power BI Desktop is .pbix. Make sure that you download files with this extension to work with Power BI Desktop.

4. How can I get a chart for download from Power BI?

Select a report you can access in Power BI, and you’ll be presented with a list of charts that you can download. To download the chart, click on the ‘…’ icon at the top right of the visual you want and then the ‘Export data’ button.