Opening Desktop: Object reference not set to an instance of an object

[Mat42]

I know this error is ubiquitous, appears in just about every Microsoft product out there, and is incredibly vague, but I'm hoping someone can give me some insight because Google is useless.

Basically, a few months ago a Microsoft update crashed our PBI system. No reports or dashboards could be accessed online or using desktop and the 'Object reference not set to an instance of an object' error was displayed. Our IT department rolled back the update and all was good. However, the accepted solution seems to be 'well, we just won't update it', which just isn't an option. So, after a while we told IT to reinstate the automatic updates.

Seemed to be OK, however a member of staff is reporting the same error when they try to open the desktop application. I checked their machine and they seemed to have multiple instances of Power BI installed somehow, so we removed them and did a fresh install, but the issue persists.

I understand it's a generic message, and whenever I encounter it during a data refresh I can usually work out what's missing or not connected, but this is the desktop application. It just won't open. We've tried opening the application itself and opening existing reports, it just doesn't like it. We've rebooted, we've tried another uninstall/reinstall, nothing.

It's just the one for the minute, but we need to find out what's causing it. I'm Power BI admin but have few other IT admin rights, so I'm working with one hand tied behind my back.

I know it's a well-known, ongoing issue, but does anyone have any insight?

[grazitti_sapna · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mat42 , The error message "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" in Power BI Desktop can be frustrating and vague, but here are some potential steps to resolve it. The issue could arise from a corrupted installation, conflicting files, or system environment problems.

1. Clean Reinstall Power BI Desktop
   • Uninstall Power BI Desktop.
   • Delete leftover folders in:
     • C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop
     • C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop
   • Reinstall the latest version from the Power BI site.

2. Clear Corrupted Settings

   • Navigate to C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop\Settings.

   • Delete or rename the User.zip file to reset configurations.
     
     

3. Check Windows Profile

   • Test Power BI Desktop on a different user profile to rule out profile-specific issues.
     
     

4. Disable Conflicting Software

   • Temporarily disable antivirus or endpoint protection software and try opening Power BI Desktop.
     
     

5. Inspect Event Viewer Logs

   • Look under Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application for Power BI-related errors.
     
     

6. Test Older Version

   • Try using a previous Power BI Desktop version from the release page.
     
     

If the issue persists, consult IT for admin rights or submit a ticket to Microsoft with diagnostic logs.

I hope the provided solution works for you.

If I have resolved your question, please consider marking my post as a solution. Thank you!
A kudos is always appreciated—it helps acknowledge the effort and keeps the community thriving.