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Where to Find Power BI?

Cody Schneider•

Trying to find where to download and access Microsoft Power BI? It's not always in one simple place. Power BI is actually a collection of applications and services, each serving a different purpose. This guide will show you exactly where to find each component, whether you're building reports on your computer, sharing them online, or checking dashboards on your phone.

What is the Power BI Suite? A Quick Overview

Before jumping into the downloads, it's helpful to understand that "Power BI" refers to a family of tools. Knowing which tool does what will help you figure out which one you need to find. For most people, it breaks down into three key parts:

  • Power BI Desktop: This is the free application you install on your Windows computer. It’s the primary authoring tool where you connect to data, transform it, create data models, and build visually rich reports. This is where most of the development work happens.

  • Power BI Service: This is the cloud-based online service (SaaS - Software as a Service) found at app.powerbi.com. After building a report in Desktop, you publish it here to share it with colleagues, create dashboards, and set up automatic data refreshes. It’s the hub for collaboration and distribution.

  • Power BI Mobile: These are the apps for your iOS and Android devices. You use them to view and interact with the reports and dashboards that have been shared with you in the Power BI Service. You can’t build reports here, but you can stay connected to your data anywhere.

Now, let's look at where to find each of these tools.

Where to Find Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop is the heart of the development experience. It's a robust, feature-packed Windows application that gets updated every single month with new features. You have two primary ways to install it.

1. The Microsoft Store (Recommended Method)

For the vast majority of users, getting Power BI Desktop from the Microsoft Store is the best option. It’s simple, secure, and makes maintenance a breeze.

Why this method is recommended:

  • Automatic Updates: The store version automatically updates in the background. Since Microsoft releases major updates monthly, this means you'll always have the latest features and bug fixes without having to do anything.

  • No Admin Rights Needed: The installation and updates don't require administrative privileges on your computer, which is a big relief for users in corporate environments with IT restrictions.

How to install from the Microsoft Store:

  1. On your Windows PC, click the Start button and type "Microsoft Store," then open the app.

  2. In the search bar at the top of the store, type "Power BI Desktop."

  3. Select the Power BI Desktop application from the search results.

  4. Click the "Get" or "Install" button.

The application will download, install, and you'll be ready to start building reports. It's truly the most straightforward and hands-off approach.

2. Direct Download from the Microsoft Website

Sometimes, you might need to download the executable installer (.exe file) directly. This method gives you more control but comes with the responsibility of performing manual updates.

When to use this method:

  • Your organization's policies prevent you from using the Microsoft Store.

  • You need to install Power BI on a machine that isn't connected to the internet to download apps.

  • You need a specific language version not automatically detected by the store.

  • You need the 32-bit version (a very rare case for modern computers).

How to install from the website:

  1. Navigate to the official Power BI downloads page on the Microsoft website. You can find this easily by searching for "Power BI download."

  2. You will see options for Power BI Desktop. Click the "Download" button or look for the "See download and language options" or "Advanced download options" link. This will take you to the Microsoft Download Center.

  3. On the Download Center page, select your preferred language from the dropdown menu.

  4. Click "Download." You will then be prompted to choose which file to download:

    • PBIDesktopSetup_x64.exe: This is the 64-bit version. Almost all modern computers run a 64-bit version of Windows, so this is the one you most likely need.

    • PBIDesktopSetup.exe: This is the 32-bit version. Only choose this if you are certain you have a 32-bit operating system.

  5. Once the download is complete, run the installer file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.

Important Note: With this method, Power BI Desktop will not update automatically. You will need to return to the downloads page and repeat this process every month to get the latest version.

How to Access the Power BI Service

Unlike Power BI Desktop, the Power BI Service is not an application you install. It's a cloud platform you access through your web browser. This is where you bring your reports to life by sharing them, creating dashboards from key visuals, and collaborating with your team.

Here’s how to get to it:

  1. Open any modern web browser (like Chrome, Edge, or Firefox).

  2. Navigate to the web address: https://app.powerbi.com

  3. You will be prompted to sign in. You’ll need a work or school account to do this (e.g., yourname@yourcompany.com). Personal email addresses like Gmail or Outlook are not supported for signing up.

  4. Once signed in, you'll land in your Power BI "workspace," which is your personal sandbox for publishing reports and testing things out.

When you first sign up through the Microsoft website, you'll be given a free license. This license is powerful for personal learning and report creation, but to share content and collaborate with others, you or your organization will need a Power BI Pro or Premium license.

Getting Power BI on Your Mobile Device

The Power BI Mobile apps are designed for consuming content on the go. They provide a touch-optimized experience for interacting with your reports and dashboards. You'll find them in the official app store for your device.

For iOS (iPhone and iPad)

Simply open the Apple App Store, search for "Microsoft Power BI," and tap "Get" to download the app to your device. Sign in with the same work or school account you use for the Power BI Service.

For Android Devices

Open the Google Play Store and search for "Microsoft Power BI." Tap "Install" to download and install the app. Once finished, open it and log in.

Windows App

Microsoft also offers a Power BI app in the Microsoft Store that is optimized for Windows tablets like the Surface. This is different from the Desktop development tool, it’s designed for consumption and interaction, similar to the iOS and Android versions. Simply search for "Power BI" in the Microsoft Store to find it.

Other Places to Find Power BI Components

For more advanced or specific corporate scenarios, you might encounter other "flavors" of Power BI. While most people won't need these, it's good to know they exist.

Power BI Report Server

What is it? This is an on-premises server solution for companies that have to keep their data and reports behind their own firewall due to regulatory or policy reasons. It's essentially a version of the Power BI Service that a company hosts themselves.

Where to find it: You don’t find this in an app store. It’s an enterprise product that comes with a Power BI Premium license or as part of a SQL Server Enterprise Edition agreement. Your company's IT department would download it from Microsoft's Volume Licensing Service Center and manage the installation.

On-Premises Data Gateway

What is it? This is a small piece of software that acts as a secure bridge between your on-premises data sources (like a homegrown SQL Server database) and the cloud-based Power BI Service. It allows you to schedule automatic data refreshes for your reports online, even if the source data isn't in the cloud.

Where to find it: You can download the data gateway directly from the Power BI downloads page or by clicking the downloads icon within the Power BI Service and selecting "Data Gateway."

Quick Reference: Which Version Do You Need?

To make it even simpler, here's a cheat sheet:

  • To build and design reports from scratch on your PC... go to the Microsoft Store and get Power BI Desktop.

  • To share, distribute, and collaborate on reports online... go to app.powerbi.com to use the Power BI Service.

  • To view and interact with dashboards on your phone or tablet... go to your device's app store and get the Power BI Mobile app.

  • If your company operates entirely on-premises... your IT team manages Power BI Report Server for you.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right part of Power BI is all about understanding your goal. If you're creating, you need Power BI Desktop on your PC. If you're sharing or managing content, you'll be in the browser-based Power BI Service. And for viewing on the move, the mobile apps are your best bet. By knowing which tool to use, you're already one step closer to mastering your data.

While Power BI is incredibly powerful, its steep learning curve and setup process aren't for everyone. For teams that need answers from their data without spending weeks learning a new tool, we built Graphed. You can connect sources like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Shopify in seconds, then use plain English to build real-time dashboards instead of clicking through complex menus. It turns hours of report building into a 30-second conversation.