Incremental refresh and real-time data

Hey Anonymous,

Possible steps to fix the Incremental Refresh + Real-time DirectQuery issue:

1. Check date/time filters – Make sure your fact tables still have a proper date/time column with continuous values and that the filter logic matches the incremental refresh range parameters.

2. Re-enable policy – If Power BI detects a schema change (even small), it can invalidate the policy. Remove the existing policy, re-set it from scratch, and re-publish.

3. Validate DirectQuery toggle – The Get real-time data option will be grayed out if:

   • The table is missing a supported date column, or

   • The model storage mode isn’t set to Import + DirectQuery (Hybrid).

4. Rebuild partitions – In some cases, you need to delete and recreate the table in Power Query, then re-apply the incremental refresh with real-time enabled before publishing.

5. Service vs Desktop behavior – Test publishing a clean PBIX with only one fact table and the correct policy to the Service. Sometimes Desktop shows the warning, but the Service applies it correctly.

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Best Regards,
Jainesh Poojara | Power BI Developer