2. Installation and Interface Tour
2.1 Installing Power BI Desktop
Quick answer: the short, self-contained version of this lesson is the guide Install Power BI Desktop and Build Your First Report.
Start with a problem
Shraddha is joining a Power BI course in Nashik. Her laptop has no Power BI yet, and she is not sure which version to install.
Explain simply
Power BI Desktop is free for Windows. Install it from the Microsoft Store (auto-updates) or the Microsoft download page. It does not run natively on Mac.
Show the data
| Check | Shraddha's laptop |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 64-bit |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| Account | Work/school email for publishing later |
About this data: This table uses columns: Check, Shraddha's laptop. This table uses columns: Item, Expected. This table uses columns: Option, How, Advantage. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
- Open Microsoft Store.
- Search Power BI Desktop.
- Click Get/Install.
- Open Power BI Desktop from the Start menu.
- Close the welcome screen; check Help › About for the version.
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| Item | Expected |
|---|---|
| App opens | Blank report canvas |
| Help › About | Version and month shown |
Explain what happened
The Store version updates monthly by itself, so your screens match current menus.
Explore further
- Mac users: use a Windows virtual machine or a Windows PC in the lab.
Detailed reference for this lesson:
Power BI Desktop runs on Windows only (Windows 10 or later). Mac users usually run it through a Windows virtual machine or a cloud PC. There are two ways to install it:
| Option | How | Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Store (recommended) | Open Microsoft Store, search "Power BI Desktop", click Get/Install | Updates automatically every month |
| Download Center | Download the installer (PBIDesktopSetup_x64.exe) from the Microsoft website |
Useful where the Store is blocked; you must update manually |
After installation, open Power BI Desktop. You may be asked to sign in – signing in is optional for Desktop work, but required when you publish to the Service.
Keep Desktop updated
Microsoft releases a new version of Power BI Desktop every month with new features. Menus sometimes move slightly between versions. If a button in this guide is not exactly where described, look in the neighbouring ribbon tab or use the search box at the top of the Desktop window.
Preview features
New features first appear under File › Options and settings › Options › Preview features. You can switch them on to try them, but avoid depending on preview features in production reports.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, many students install Power BI Desktop from both the Microsoft Store and the download page and end up with two versions. Pick one (the Store version updates automatically) and uninstall the other. Also make sure your Desktop version is recent enough to open files your colleagues send you. Don't worry – after doing it two or three times, it becomes a habit.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, बरेच students Power BI Desktop Microsoft Store आणि download page दोन्हीकडून install करतात आणि मग दोन versions होतात. एकच निवडा (Store version आपोआप update होतं) आणि दुसरं uninstall करा. तसंच तुमचं Desktop version colleagues नी पाठवलेल्या files उघडण्याइतकं नवीन आहे ना, ते पण बघा. घाबरू नका, दोन-तीन वेळा केलं की सवय होते.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, बहुत से students Power BI Desktop को Microsoft Store और download page दोनों से install कर लेते हैं और दो versions हो जाते हैं. एक ही चुनो (Store version अपने-आप update होता है) और दूसरा uninstall कर दो. यह भी देख लो कि तुम्हारा Desktop version इतना नया है कि colleagues की भेजी files खुल सकें. घबराओ मत, दो-तीन बार करने पर आदत हो जाती है.
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Menus differ from the lesson | Old installed version | Update via Store |
| Cannot sign in | Personal Gmail | Desktop works without sign-in; use a work account for publishing |
| Two versions installed | Store and download both | Keep one |
Practise independently
Practice task
Find your version number and month.
Hints
- Help › About.
Solution
Answers vary – note the month (for example 2026 release) to compare with screenshots.
Think like a professional
Teams agree a Desktop version so files open consistently – mention this when you join a team.
Revision card