Desktop app memory hog

[watts_jim]

I have a fairly simple dashboard; quite a few tables, but all very small - the largest is only a couple of meg, according to DAX Studio.  The PBIX is only 4MB.  However, it can take up to 4GB of RAM in total when refreshing.  1.5GB for PBIDesktop.exe, 500MB for SSAS, then hundreds of meg for a log of MashupContainer.NetFX45 processes, etc.

So - any way to identify what is using up the memory, or how to reduce it ?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @watts_jim ,

High memory consumption during data refresh in Power BI can be caused by poorly designed calculated columns or models. To identify the cause of high memory usage, you can follow these steps:

1. Identify the entity or calculations consuming more memory: Analyze your data model and calculations to find any inefficient design or complex calculations that might be causing high memory consumption.

2. Optimize your data model: Review your data model and remove any unnecessary columns, tables, or relationships. This can help reduce the memory footprint of your data model.

3. Optimize your calculations: Review your DAX calculations and try to simplify them or use more efficient functions. This can help reduce the memory consumption during data refresh.

4. Disable background data preview: In Power BI Desktop, go to File > Options and settings > Options > Data Load, and uncheck "Allow data preview to download in the background". This can help reduce memory consumption while opening the file, but it may increase the time and resources consumed when working in the query editor preview.

Please note that these are general guidelines, and the specific cause of high memory consumption in your case may vary depending on your data model and calculations. It's essential to analyze your specific scenario to identify the root cause and apply the appropriate optimizations.

Best Regards,
Gao
Community Support Team

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[Idrissshatila]

Hello @watts_jim ,

you could start by eleminating the columns that you dont need in your analysis.

also try to build your model as a star schema model https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/guidance/star-schema

If I answered your question, please mark my post as solution, Appreciate your Kudos 👍

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