How to Download Power BI on Mac

Trying to install Microsoft Power BI Desktop on your Mac can feel like an impossible task. You search for a download link, only to find exclusively Windows .exe files, leaving you wondering if you've missed something obvious. The short answer is: you haven't. There's simply no native version of Power BI Desktop for macOS.

But don't worry, you aren't out of luck. This guide will walk you through the three best workarounds for running Power BI on a Mac, from the most powerful methods to the simplest. We’ll cover the pros and cons of each, helping you pick the approach that best fits your workflow and technical comfort level.

First, Why Isn't There a Power BI Desktop for Mac?

The straightforward reason Power BI Desktop is Windows-exclusive is that it’s deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem. The application was built on the Windows-specific .NET framework and relies on technologies that don't have direct equivalents on macOS. While this may change one day, Microsoft's focus remains on its native operating system for the full-fledged Power BI authoring experience, leaving Mac users to find creative solutions.

Three Proven Methods to Use Power BI on a Mac

Since you can't install it directly, the goal is to create a Windows environment on your Mac or use the web-based features of the Power BI ecosystem. Here are the three most common and effective ways to do that.

Method 1: Use a Virtual Machine (The Most Powerful Option)

Using a virtual machine (VM) is the most popular and comprehensive solution for Mac users who need the full, unrestricted Power BI Desktop experience. It gives you a complete Windows operating system running in an app on your macOS desktop, just as if you were using a separate PC.

What is a Virtual Machine?

Imagine having a computer inside your computer. A VM app like Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or the free VirtualBox allows you to install and run a full version of Windows (or other operating systems) in a separate window on your Mac. You can switch between macOS and Windows seamlessly, even dragging and dropping files between them. For Power BI, this means you can install and use the Windows desktop application exactly as it was intended, with no compromises on features.

This is the go-to method for data analysts and report creators who build complex data models, use advanced DAX functions, and need access to every single feature found in Power BI Desktop.

Pros and Cons of Using a Virtual Machine

• Pros:
• Cons:

How To Set Up Power BI with a Virtual Machine

1. Choose Your VM Software: For most users on modern Macs, Parallels Desktop is the most user-friendly and best-performing option. VMware Fusion Pro is another powerful choice (and is now free for personal use), and VirtualBox is a popular free, open-source contender.
2. Get a Windows 11 License: You need a legitimate copy of Windows 11 Arm edition if you're on an Apple Silicon Mac, or the standard x86 version for an Intel-based Mac. Parallels simplifies this by allowing you to download and purchase Windows directly from within the application.
3. Install Windows: Follow the on-screen instructions in your VM software. Most modern VMs have streamlined this process into just a few clicks. It will automatically configure the settings for you.
4. Launch Windows: Once installed, you can start your Windows virtual machine by launching it from the VM application. You'll see the familiar Windows desktop in a window on your Mac.
5. Download and Install Power BI: Open the Microsoft Edge browser inside your Windows VM, navigate to the Power BI Desktop download page, and install it just like you would on any PC. You're now ready to go!

Method 2: Use a Windows 365 Cloud PC (The Modern Cloud Approach)

If managing a local virtual machine seems like too much hassle, Microsoft's Windows 365 offers a more streamlined, cloud-native alternative. It provides you with a full-featured Windows PC that runs in the cloud and can be accessed from any device with a web browser or through the Microsoft Remote Desktop app.

What is a Windows 365 Cloud PC?

Think of it as "Netflix for a computer." Instead of running Windows on your Mac's hardware, you are streaming a Windows desktop that is running on Microsoft's powerful servers. You get a persistent, personalized Windows environment that you can access from your Mac, iPad, or even your phone. Since this is an official Microsoft product, access to Power BI and the entire Microsoft 365 suite is completely seamless.

This is an excellent option for users in a corporate environment where IT manages resources, or for individuals who want a maintenance-free way to access a Windows PC without bogging down their local machine.

Pros and Cons of Using a Cloud PC

• Pros:
• Cons:

How to Get Started with Windows 365

1. Choose a Plan: Visit the Windows 365 website and select a plan that fits your needs. For Power BI, it's best to choose a plan with at least 8GB of RAM.
2. Set Up Your Account: Sign up and configure your Cloud PC. This process is generally quick and straightforward.
3. Access Your Cloud PC: You can access your new Windows environment either through a web browser at windows365.microsoft.com or by downloading the official Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the Mac App Store for a more integrated experience.
4. Install Power BI: Once you're connected to your Cloud PC, simply open the Edge browser, download Power BI Desktop, and install it.

Method 3: Use Power BI Service (The Browser-Based Viewer)

The third method doesn't use the Desktop app at all. Instead, it relies entirely on Power BI Service - the cloud-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) part of the Power BI ecosystem. Any Mac user can access this through a web browser like Safari or Chrome with no special setup required.

What Is Power BI Service?

While Power BI Desktop is for authoring and building reports from scratch, Power BI Service is primarily for viewing, sharing, and interacting with reports that have already been published. It's a fantastic tool for business stakeholders, managers, and team members who need to consume data and dashboards created by others.

You can even do some light report creation in the web app, but its data modeling and transformation capabilities are very limited compared to the feature-rich Desktop application. You typically need someone to publish a properly modeled dataset to the Power BI Service first.

What You Can (And Can't) Do With Power BI Service

• You CAN:
• You CAN'T:

This method is best for viewers and consumers of data. If your role is analyzing reports rather than building them from the ground up, this might be all you need.

Which Method Is Right for You?

Choosing the right method comes down to what you need to accomplish with Power BI.

• Choose a Virtual Machine (Method 1) if... you are a power user, data analyst, or BI developer who needs to build complex reports from raw data. This gives you the full-featured, no-compromise Power BI Desktop experience.
• Choose a Cloud PC (Method 2) if... you need the full Power BI desktop experience but don't want to manage a local installation, or if you need to access your work environment from multiple devices. It's clean, modern, and requires no local resources.
• Choose Power BI Service (Method 3) if... you are primarily a report viewer. If your job is to track KPIs, filter dashboards, and collaborate on existing reports, the web service is a simple, fast, and free way to do so without any installation.

Final Thoughts

While there's no official Power BI Desktop app for Macs, you're now equipped with three solid methods to bridge the gap. Whether you opt for the complete control of a virtual machine, the cloud convenience of Windows 365, or the straightforward accessibility of the Power BI Service, you can effectively integrate Microsoft’s powerful analytics tool into your macOS workflow.

The effort it takes to get complex tools like Power BI running on a Mac is a perfect example of the friction we wanted to eliminate for marketers, entrepreneurs, and sales leaders. Instead of fighting with installations, learning complex software, and manually pulling data, there's a much easier way to get insights. We built Graphed for this exact reason. You can securely connect your data sources (like Google Analytics, Shopify, Facebook Ads, and Salesforce) once, and then use simple, natural language to instantly build real-time dashboards and reports. You can get straight to the answers without all the setup headaches.