How to prevent the same pbix from opening at the same time

[BenBlackswan]

It seems like I can open the same pbix file twice at the same time. 

Obviously this will cause problem if I accidentally open same file twice and work on them separately.

Is there a way to prevent this from happening?

[BenBlackswan]

okay, thank you for the answer.

Is this how Microsoft intented PBI desktop to be or some kind of bug?

[Anonymous]

Hi @BenBlackswan ,

Based on my investigation, Power BI Desktop does not currently include a built-in file-locking feature to prevent simultaneous access to a .pbix file. This means opening the same .pbix file from multiple locations or through repeated interactions will launch separate instances of Power BI Desktop, each loading the file independently. Simultaneous edits across multiple instances may result in conflicting changes or overwritten data upon saving.

So please ensure only one instance of the .pbix file is open at a time. For team environments, consider using version control systems (e.g., Git) or cloud-based collaboration tools (e.g., SharePoint, OneDrive) to manage concurrent edits safely.

Version Control with OneDrive, Teams and SharePoint Online

Version control for Power BI files

Setting up Version Control for my Power BI Desktop Files (PBIX) with no additional Cost

Best Regards

[danextian · Accepted solution]

Hi @BenBlackswan 

As far as I know, there isn't a way to do this. You'll know that you have opened it twice as it won't allow saving it - unless the other window is closed. We just need to be conscious and aware that we have opened the same file multiple times.