Desktop (Win32 Program Files) vs windows store app

[dbeavon3]

Can someone tell me which download of the desktop is recommended?  This is for normal business power users who want to explore their data and build reports and dashboards from Windows 10.

The following links can all be used to get the windows store app:

• https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/downloads/
• https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/desktop/ 
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/power-bi-desktop/9ntxr16hnw1t

... but these ones seems to get a legacy win32 app that goes in the program files directory:

https://app.powerbi.com/home (download button in main toolbar)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45331

It is a bit confusing that there are both styles of application available.  Is one of them only supported for backwards compatibility?  Which is the one that should be used by Windows 10 power users with a desktop that has the latest update (1903 or whatever)?  Is there any guidance from Microsoft about picking between them?

I sometimes hear a lot of confusing, mixed messages about the future prospects of Windows store apps and I don't want to advocate for the installation of them unless Microsoft still says that it is the right direction.

Thanks in advance.

[v-cherch-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @dbeavon3 

I would suggest you go directly to Microsoft Power BI Desktop.

Reference:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/report-server/install-powerbi-desktop

Depending on your computer, select:

• PBIDesktopRS.msi (the 32-bit version) or

• PBIDesktopRS_x64.msi (the 64-bit version).

Regards,

[dbeavon3]

OK, that helps. 

I discovered that the store version is basically the same app (it is "centennialized" or whatever, so it is more easily distributed). 

I was told by another source that the normal msi package is updated no more than once per month but the "centennialized" version - in the store - automatically updates itself as needed (possibly more frequently than once per month).

The reason I first asked the question was because I was worried that the two were using totally different platforms (ie. perhaps one was a UWP-based, and one was an old-fashioned win32 app).  That is not the case.  Neither of them appears to be a true UWP app.

Thanks for the information.