Using the Microsoft Store app wouldn’t allow it usually, because it automatically updates. Another scenario is that for some reason, someone might want to use an older version of Power BI Desktop for their report development work.

For some versions, you can only use the download link. One of the problems of the Microsoft Store version of Power BI Desktop is that it is not available for all versions of Windows. So if you want to be always on the edge of updates and enjoy the fascinating new features announced every month, considering getting the Power BI Desktop from the Microsoft Store. Power BI team updates the Power BI Desktop tool every month, and keeping that manually up-to-date is a big hassle. As soon as a new update is available from Power BI Team, the application automatically updates itself to the latest version and you don’t need to do any extra actions to keep it up-to-date. The first difference is that the Microsoft Store version of Power BI Desktop updates automatically. Now that you know the two methods that Power BI Desktop can be available, let’s see the difference.

You can simply download the file and install it on your machine. Power BI Desktop Separate Download LinkĪnother way to get Power BI Desktop is to download it from this link. You can use this option easily if you have Windows 10 on your machine. I have this already installed through Microsoft Store, and that is why I see it is mentioned “Launch” instead of download in the below screenshot All you need is a Microsoft account (which can be live account) to be able to access apps from the store, and the Power BI Desktop app is free Īs you see in the screenshot below, Power BI Desktop can be searched in the Microsoft Store, and easily downloaded. One of the ways to download Power BI Desktop is to get it from Microsoft Store.Īgain, that doesn’t mean you need to pay for it. You can use Power BI Desktop without any account, username or login credentials. When you open Power BI Desktop for the first time, there is a pop-up window, which will ask you to log in, but that is not mandatory. Power BI Desktop is a tool that every Power BI Developer needs to build Power BI reports. The question that I often get is What is the difference? which one is better? Let’s talk about that in this post. However, Power BI Desktop application comes in two ways Download it separately and install it on your Windows machine, or Get it from Microsoft Store as an App. If you want to develop Power BI reports, you’ll need the Power BI Desktop application.

Microsoft store app not downloaded