Forum Discussion
Error when saving to the Power BI Report Server
Hi all, I have Power BI Desktop RS and Power BI Report Server installed. I now have version September 2025, but I also removed everything and installed May 2025. I have an issue when I want to sav...
Zanqueta
Super User
Super UserHi Joelllp,
If I'm not wrong the error you are seeing when saving or uploading to Power BI Report Server is caused by insufficient permissions for the user account performing the operation. The log confirms this with:
AccessDeniedException: The permissions granted to user %USER% are insufficient for performing this operation.
Even though you believe your authorisation is correct, this usually happens because the account is not assigned the proper role in the Report Server security model.
How can you fix It:
Check Report Server Roles
Power BI Report Server uses role-based security. To publish or save reports, the user must have at least the Publisher role.
- Open Report Server Web Portal (e.g., http://localhost/reports).
- Go to Site Settings → Security.
- Ensure your user account is added with the role Publisher or Content Manager.
Check Folder-Level Permissions
Even if you have site-level permissions, you also need permissions on the target folder:
- Navigate to the folder where you are saving the report.
- Click Manage → Security.
- Add your user with Publisher or Content Manager role.
Why This Happens
When you reinstall or downgrade versions (e.g., from September 2025 to May 2025), the security configuration may reset. The error (403) Forbidden combined with AccessDeniedException means the server is rejecting the request because the user lacks the required role.
If this response was helpful, I’d appreciate a 👍 — just like the joy of seeing a DAX measure work on the first try without needing another FILTER.
Please mark it as the correct solution. It helps other community members find the right path (and saves them from another infinite loop 🌀).