How to Use Power BI for Beginners in 2026

Power BI can feel crowded the first time you open it, especially when all you have is an Excel file and a report someone expects to see. The fastest beginner path is simple: install Power BI Desktop, build from Excel, publish to the Power BI service, then share or view the report where your team works.

Here is the current Power BI workflow that matches Microsoft’s July 2026 documentation, with the older retired routes left out of the working steps.

1. Choose the Power BI tool you need first

Start with the part of Power BI that matches the job in front of you.

• Power BI Desktop is the Windows app for creating reports from data.
• Power BI service at app.powerbi.com is the browser version for publishing, sharing, and building online.
• Power BI mobile app is for viewing reports on iPhone, iPad, Android phones, and Android tablets.

For a first report, use Power BI Desktop plus the Power BI service. Add mobile, Teams, PowerPoint, and Excel connections after your first report is published.

2. Install Power BI Desktop on Windows

1. 1.Open the Power BI Desktop page in the Microsoft Store.
2. 2.Select Install.
3. 3.Open Power BI Desktop when installation finishes.

The clean beginner install path is the Microsoft Store version of Power BI Desktop. You can also use the Microsoft Download Center route: open the Microsoft Download Center page for Power BI Desktop, select Download, choose the recommended 64-bit version, select Next, then run the EXE installer and follow setup.

Skip the old 32-bit Power BI Desktop path. Microsoft says the 32-bit version is no longer supported, and only the latest Power BI Desktop version is supported.

3. Sign in to the Power BI service

Power BI uses a Power BI or Fabric account. Open app.powerbi.com in a browser and sign in. Creating content in the Power BI service requires the right Power BI or Fabric license path.

1. 1.To start a trial when your organization allows it, open app.powerbi.com.
2. 2.Select a Try for free button when it appears.
3. 3.Or select the Account manager icon.
4. 4.Choose Free trial when it appears.

Microsoft lists Fabric Free, Power BI Pro trials, and Fabric capacity trials (which include Premium Per User-equivalent capabilities) as account paths that vary by tenant.

4. Build your first report from Excel

1. 1.Open Power BI Desktop.
2. 2.On the Home page, select Excel workbook.
3. 3.Choose your workbook.
4. 4.Select Open.
5. 5.Select the table or sheet data you want to use.
6. 6.Select Load to bring the data in as-is, or select Transform Data and then Home > Close & Apply to clean it first.
7. 7.Build visuals on the report canvas.

Use one clean workbook for your first Power BI report. Get the data in first, then build the visuals.

Stop after one or two visuals and check the numbers against the Excel workbook. Once the totals match, add the next visual or page.

5. Publish the report online

Publish to a workspace when the report is ready to move from Desktop to the browser.

1. 1.In Power BI Desktop, select File.
2. 2.Select Publish.
3. 3.Select Publish to Power BI.
4. 4.Or select Publish on the Home ribbon.
5. 5.Choose the target workspace.

Publishing requires sign-in, the right Power BI or Fabric license, and workspace permissions. For a personal test, choose My workspace.

6. Create Excel-based content in the browser

1. 1.Open app.powerbi.com.
2. 2.Select My workspace in the navigation pane.
3. 3.Select New item.
4. 4.Select Semantic model.
5. 5.On Add data to start building a report, select Excel.
6. 6.Choose the file.
7. 7.Select Select.
8. 8.Select Link to file.
9. 9.Select Next.
10. 10.Select the data.
11. 11.Choose Create.

You can start inside the Power BI service instead of Desktop. To add an existing Excel workbook file to a workspace, open the workspace, select Upload, then choose OneDrive, SharePoint, or Browse.

7. Share reports without exposing private data

Keep sharing inside the Power BI service and reserve public embedding for public data only.

1. 1.Open the report or dashboard in the Power BI service.
2. 2.Select Share.
3. 3.Choose People in your organization, Specific people, or People with existing access.
4. 4.In the sharing dialog, select More options.
5. 5.Select Manage permissions to copy links, change links, grant direct access, remove direct access, view requests, or open Advanced.

For a public webpage, open the report and select File > Embed report > Publish to web (public). Microsoft describes Publish to web as public internet embedding, so private or sensitive data does not belong there.

8. View Power BI in mobile and Microsoft 365 apps

• Mobile Download Microsoft Power BI from the Apple App Store or Power BI for Android from Google Play. Open the app, tap the Power BI tab, and enter your sign-in details.
• Samples In the mobile app, tap More options on the navigation bar, then choose Samples to view sample content without signing up.
• Teams In Microsoft Teams, select Apps, search for Power BI, select Power BI, then sign in. To pin it, right-click the Power BI icon in Teams and select Pin.
• PowerPoint In Power BI, open the report or visual. For a report, select Share; for a single visual, select More options (...), then Share. Choose PowerPoint, then select Open in PowerPoint. The data remains in Power BI.
• Excel In the Power BI service, open the semantic model, select More options, then choose Analyze in Excel. In Excel, go to Data > Get Data > From Power BI, choose the semantic model, and select Connect.

Once your report exists, Power BI can follow you into the tools people already use.

For barcode-enabled reports, the mobile app also has More options > Scanner. For NFC-enabled content, open the report, dashboard, scorecard, or app, open the options menu, and tap NFC. Workspaces don’t have that options menu, so tap the NFC icon in the header instead. Then choose the registration options and select Start scanning.

9. Ignore retired Power BI shortcuts

Older Power BI tutorials often point to tools that no longer match Microsoft’s current guidance.

• Power BI Windows app was retired on December 31, 2023. On Windows devices, use the Power BI service in a browser instead.
• Cortana integration with Power BI is deprecated and no longer works for dashboards and reports.
• Power BI Q&A experiences are going away in December 2026. Microsoft recommends Copilot instead for supported Power BI natural-language questions.
• 32-bit Power BI Desktop is no longer supported. Install the latest 64-bit version.

On managed work or school accounts, tenant settings can control sharing, external sharing, Publish to web, Copilot, visuals, Fabric item creation, and trials. If a button is missing, check with your Power BI or Fabric admin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Power BI without installing Desktop?

Yes. Open app.powerbi.com and use the Power BI service in a browser to create content from Excel, upload files, view reports, and share reports when your license and permissions allow it.

Is Power BI Desktop available for Mac?

The verified Microsoft research for this draft documents Power BI Desktop as a Windows app. On a Mac, use the Power BI service in a browser where your account supports it.

Do I need Power BI Pro to share reports?

Sharing typically requires Power BI Pro or Premium Per User unless the content is in Premium or Fabric F64+ capacity. Tenant settings also control sharing behavior.

Can I practice Power BI on my phone without an account?

Yes. In the Power BI mobile app, tap More options on the navigation bar and choose Samples. Microsoft says samples have limited features and cannot be shared or favorited.