How to open newer Power BI Desktop file in older version (need to connect to SQL from AVD)

[riteshmen]

Hi Team,

I developed a Power BI report in August 2025 version of Power BI Desktop. The report currently pulls data from Excel.

Now I want to switch the source to SQL Server.

• My local machine (with Aug 2025 version) cannot connect to SQL.

• I do have access to an AVD (Azure Virtual Desktop) that can connect to SQL, but the AVD has an older Power BI Desktop version, which does not allow me to open the file created in Aug 2025.

• Unfortunately, I cannot upgrade the Power BI version on the AVD due to restrictions.

My challenge:
How can I open and modify the report in the older Power BI Desktop version (in AVD) so I can connect it to SQL, without upgrading Power BI?

Any suggestions or workarounds would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[v-sdhruv]

Hi @riteshmen ,
I hope you were able to resolve the issue. We would be closing this thread. If you still have any issues, you can open a separate thread and we would be happy to assist you.

Thank You for reaching out on Microsoft Community Forum

[v-sdhruv · Accepted solution]

Hi @riteshmen ,
Thanks for the update! Since the AVD already has the latest version of Power BI Desktop, you should be able to open the August 2025 report directly without needing to downgrade it.
Let me know if you need any help.
Thank You

[riteshmen]

Thank you. I haven't tried this yet because I have the latest version installed on my AVD. 

[v-sdhruv]

Hi @riteshmen ,

I hope the explaination provided by @FBergamaschi  was helpful and you were able to open the file in the older version.
You can even refer this similar post to get older version of Power BI-
Solved: Install older version of Power BI desktop - Microsoft Fabric Community

Hope this helps!

[FBergamaschi]

Here you can find the older versions of power bi desktop

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/fundamentals/desktop-latest-update-archive?tabs=powerbi-d...

My suggestion is:

install an older Power BI Desktop version in your local machine

try to open the report created with the August version

if it works, you save it and you have it in an older version, if not, you need to go to an even older version

Once you saved it in an older version, try to open it from the AVD

In short, you need to find a version that is not too old so that it can be open in your AVD, save the file created with the August 2025 version in this older version and open it from AVD

Hope this helps, it does not sound efficient but it whould work

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Francesco Bergamaschi

MBA, M.Eng, M.Econ, Professor of BI