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Erkko's avatar
Erkko
Frequent Visitor
11 months ago
Solved

Issue with Power BI Desktop serverside authentication

Hi!    Need help with authentication issue in Power BI. We run Power BI Desktop in one of our virtual machines. We log in into the machine using our personal server credentials. However, when we op...
Need Help
  • v-sshirivolu's avatar
    v-sshirivolu
    11 months ago

    Hi Erkko ,
    Thanks for reaching out to Forum Community.

    Recurring sign-in prompts in Power BI Desktop usually happen when accounts or tokens don’t match. Make sure your Windows login, Desktop sign-in, and installation account are the same. If needed, add your Power BI account via Windows Settings - Accounts - Access work or school, and clear old credentials in Desktop (File - Options - Data Source Settings - Clear Permissions) and Windows Credential Manager. Reinstalling Desktop under the correct profile and launching with the intended account also helps.

    Also, check Integrated Windows Authentication in Internet Options and review organizational policies like Conditional Access, MFA, or Hybrid Azure AD Join. Signing in first via Edge - Office 365 - Power BI Service can help Desktop recognize your token and stop repeated prompts.

grazitti_sapna's avatar
grazitti_sapna
Super User
11 months ago

Hi Erkko 

This kind of repeated credential prompts in Power BI Desktop especially when working on a VM with different Windows and Power BI accounts is pretty common. Here are a few steps that usually help:

 

  • Integrated Windows Authentication Conflict: Power BI may struggle when your Windows login and Power BI account are different. Go to Internet Options > Advanced on the VM, and try unchecking "Enable Integrated Windows Authentication" (you’ll find this setting under Security)
  • Single Sign-On Setting: In Power BI Desktop, go to File > Options > Global > Security and uncheck "Require user authentication for single sign-on".
  • Clear Cached Credentials: Sometimes old cached logins cause endless prompts. Go to File > Options and Settings > Data Source Settings, then "Clear Permissions" for any saved connections for your reports.
  • Run as Admin: Try running Power BI Desktop as administrator, right-click the shortcut and select "Run as administrator".
  • Add Power BI Account in Windows Settings: You can try adding your Power BI email as a "work or school account" under Windows Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.
  • Keep Power BI Updated: Bugs related to authentication get fixed over time, so always use the latest Power BI Desktop builds.

If these steps don’t help, check with your IT to see if any group policies or security software might be blocking part of the login process. Do let us know if the issue still persists.

 

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