How Do I Run Power BI on a Mac

This article was originally written in November 2021 and has since been updated with new discoveries and research in March 2026.

If you’re a Mac user and you want to run Power BI, you’re definitely not alone. More than 30 million people use Power BI monthly for business analytics and data visualization. But it’s a Microsoft product, and there is no native Power BI Desktop app for macOS (at this time). 

However, there are several options for getting Power BI up and running on your Mac.

Let’s start with the basics of Power BI:

• Power BI Desktop is the full authoring tool. It’s where you build data models, create reports and dashboards, and publish to the cloud.
• Power BI Service runs in your browser, and it’s where you view and interact with reports, share dashboards, and manage workspaces.

Note: Microsoft has not released a macOS version of Power BI Desktop, which is built for Windows. If you need the full Desktop authoring experience, the most practical solution is to run Windows locally on your Mac using Parallels Desktop.

This updated article breaks down how to run Power BI on Mac, the caveats of browser-based access, and how Parallels Desktop enables you to run Power BI on a virtual machine with a near-native feel.

Can you run Power BI on a Mac today

There are two very different ways to use Power BI.

Power BI Desktop (Windows only)

Power BI Desktop is the full report-building application. It’s required if you want to connect to new data sources, build models, and create new reports from scratch.

There is still no native macOS version of Power BI Desktop. Microsoft has not released a Mac app for Desktop, and it remains a Windows-only application.

Power BI Service (Browser-based)

Power BI Service runs entirely in your web browser, which allows you to view dashboards and reports, filter and interact with visuals, and share reports with colleagues.

If your role is primarily reviewing dashboards or collaborating on published reports, you can use Power BI Service in Safari, Chrome, or Edge on macOS with no additional setup.

On macOS without Windows, you can:

• Open and interact with existing reports in the browser.
• Share dashboards.
• Perform light administrative tasks.

On macOS without Windows, you cannot:

• Install Power BI Desktop.
• Create new .pbix files from scratch.
• Build complex data models.
• Perform advanced data transformation locally.
• Develop and publish new reports directly from the desktop.

To quickly decide which is best for you, consider the following question:

Are you consuming reports or creating them?

• Viewer/stakeholder: Use Power BI Service in your browser on macOS.
• Report creator/analyst/BI developer: You need Windows to run Power BI Desktop.

If you can’t use Windows at all, you may want to explore Power BI alternatives for Mac. But if you need the full authoring experience, the next section is the most direct path.

Running Power BI Desktop on a Mac with Parallels

If you need the full Power BI Desktop experience on a Mac, there’s another option you might not know about: you can run Windows directly on your Mac using Parallels Desktop.

Instead of relying on a remote PC or cloud desktop, Parallels Desktop runs Windows locally on your Mac as a virtual machine. Windows and macOS operate side by side, with no reboot required. Studies show that virtualization can improve agility and operational efficiency while saving on hardware costs. 

This approach is especially useful if you’ve tried (or considered) options like Windows 365, Power BI Mac, or Remote Desktop Power BI Mac and want a more consistent, local workflow.

With Parallels Desktop, you can:

• Open macOS apps and Windows apps at the same time.
• Drag and drop files between systems.
• Copy and paste across environments.
• Keep Power BI Desktop open alongside Excel for Mac, Safari, or Teams.

How does Parallels Desktop work?

Modern Macs, especially Apple silicon and M-series models, have built-in hardware virtualization support. Parallels taps into that native capability to create an isolated Windows environment that runs directly on your Mac’s CPU, memory, and storage.

The result is fast app launches, responsive visuals and report rendering, and stable performance, even with large datasets. This is a key reason Power BI on Apple silicon is workable when you run Windows 11 on Arm through Parallels.

Running Power BI Desktop in Parallels is especially well-suited for analysts, BI developers, finance, and operations teams. Think of any role that involves creating and publishing Power BI reports within macOS.

Updated step-by-step: How to install Power BI Desktop using Parallels

If you’re a Power BI for Mac user, the cleanest path is to use Parallels Desktop by following these steps:

1. Install Parallels Desktop on macOS.
2. Set up a Windows 11 virtual machine.
3. Download and install Power BI Desktop on Windows.
4. Access files, sign in, and validate report performance.

Here are some common hurdles you might encounter, and how to easily solve them:

• Licensing prompts: You might need to sign in to the Parallels account that contains your activation keys, then select the correct key. If the prompt is within Windows, remember that Windows 11 requires activation. If you have an existing license tied to your Microsoft account, Windows’ activation troubleshooter can help you reactivate after setup.
• File sharing: Confirm sharing is enabled in the VM settings and check that the shared profile and shared folders are configured. If a shared Mac folder doesn’t appear in Windows, Parallels provides specific steps to restore visibility and access.
• Refresh issues: Start with the basics: run Windows Update and reboot the VM. Then confirm that you’re signed in to the correct Microsoft account for your organization’s data sources.

In most cases, these fixes take just a few minutes, and once your licensing, file sharing, and account access are squared away, Power BI Desktop runs smoothly in your Windows VM so you can get back to building and publishing reports without ongoing interruptions.

Performance considerations for modern Macs

If you’re running Power BI Desktop inside a Windows VM, performance comes down to three factors:

1. Your Mac hardware (especially Apple silicon).
2. How you allocate VM resources (CPU and RAM).
3. How you handle file storage and data refresh.

Here’s what to expect, and how to tune things properly, including practical alignment with Power BI Desktop requirements.

Apple silicon performance

On modern M-series Macs, running Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop delivers strong performance for most Power BI tasks (data modeling, DAX calculations, dashboard rendering). Because Windows runs locally and leverages Apple silicon’s built-in virtualization support, responsiveness is typically near-native.

This is why Power BI works well across Power BI Mac M1, Power BI Mac M2, and Power BI Mac M3 devices with the right setup.

File storage and data refresh tips

Best practices for storage and data include:

• Store active .pbix files on your Mac’s internal SSD.
• Use Parallels shared folders for convenient access between macOS and Windows.
• Avoid running large datasets from slow external drives.
• Keep Windows in the VM up to date before troubleshooting refresh errors.

For most individual analysts, BI developers, finance professionals, and operations teams, running Windows locally with Parallels Desktop provides the best balance of speed, flexibility, and control. For many creators, it’s the best way to run Power BI on Mac.

Run Power BI Desktop on your Mac with Parallels

If you’re a Mac and Power BI user, and you mainly need to view dashboards, your browser is likely enough.

But if you’re building reports, modeling data, creating PBIX files, and publishing datasets, you need Power BI Desktop, and that means you need Windows.

Instead of switching devices, the most complete and user-friendly solution is to run Windows locally on your Mac with Parallels Desktop. 

The simplest path looks like this:

1. Install Parallels Desktop on your Mac.
2. Set up a Windows 11 virtual machine.
3. Install Power BI Desktop inside Windows.

It’s that simple.

Ready to do more with your Mac? 

Start running Power BI for Mac today.

Frequently asked questions about Power BI for Mac

If you’re still deciding which setup makes the most sense, the FAQs below cover the most common questions we hear from macOS users trying to run Power BI.

The best option depends on whether you’re mainly viewing reports in the browser or building them in Power BI Desktop, on what kind of Mac you’re using, and on how your organization handles licensing and access. 

Is Power BI Desktop available for macOS?

No. There is no native macOS version of Power BI Desktop. 

Power BI Desktop is a Windows-only application. While you can use Power BI Service in a browser on macOS to view and share reports, full report authoring with Power BI Desktop requires Windows.

Does Power BI work on M1, M2, M3, and later Macs?

Yes, with the right setup. Power BI Desktop does not run natively on macOS, but it works on M-series Macs when you run Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop. Parallels is optimized for Apple silicon and supports Windows 11 on Arm, allowing you to install and run Power BI Desktop inside a Windows virtual machine.

Can I open and edit PBIX files on a Mac?

You can view published reports in your browser using Power BI Service on macOS. However, you cannot open or edit .pbix files directly in macOS. To edit PBIX files on a Mac, you must run Windows locally (for example, using Parallels Desktop) and install Power BI Desktop inside that Windows environment.

What’s the best setup for teams using Macs and Windows?

If your team is primarily Mac-based but depends on Windows-only tools like Power BI Desktop, Parallels Desktop’s virtualization software gives you compatibility and access without changing hardware.

Note: Some users ask about Boot Camp Power BI. Boot Camp was an option on some older Intel Macs, but it’s not a fit for Apple silicon workflows, and it doesn’t provide the same side-by-side experience as virtualization.