Forum Discussion
Clicking to link from app doesnt respond
Hi yosihatem,
Thanks for the update. That sounds like the right approach ensuring the file server is accessible is a key prerequisite before configuring the connection in Power BI / Fabric.
Once the file server is ready, please make sure it is accessible to the service. If it remains on-premises, you’ll need to configure an On-premises Data Gateway and ensure the gateway machine has access to the file path. If the files are moved to a cloud-accessible location (such as OneLake, SharePoint, or Azure Storage), you can connect directly without a gateway. After completing the setup, you can configure the connection and verify the refresh. Feel free to share an update once ready, and I’ll assist you with the next steps if needed.
Thank you again for using the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.
Thanks for reply.
It's problem because I have 1000's of files and its being added every day. Its saved automatically in the shared folder
Community SupportHi yosihatem,
You are correct that manually updating thousands of files is not practical. Since Power BI Service does not support file:// network paths, the recommended approach is to make the files available through a web-accessible location such as SharePoint Online, OneDrive, or a web server, which provides HTTPS links that Power BI can open.
Because your files are created automatically, this process can also be automated. For example, you can use OneDrive sync or Power Automate to automatically upload or sync new files from the shared folder to SharePoint. This ensures every new file receives a supported HTTPS link without manual effort.
Once the files are accessible via HTTPS and the column is categorized as Web URL, the links will work correctly in the Power BI App.
Hope this clarifies. Let us know if you have any doubts regarding this. We will be happy to help.
Thank you for using the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.
Unfortunetely I can't do that because of multiple reasons
There are 1000s of file being uploaded everyday
If I upload to sharepoint / onedrive I will have storage problem
I might lose control since I have 2 sources for the files
Do you know if there is plans that PowerBI will support this or not?- v-kpoloju-msft
Hi yosihatem,
Thank you for the clarification.
I understand that moving or duplicating thousands of automatically generated files is not feasible in your scenario. Power BI Desktop can open file:// or network share paths because it runs within your local environment, but Power BI Service and the Power BI App only support hyperlinks that use supported web protocols such as http:// or https://. This is due to cloud security and architecture limitations, and currently there are no announced plans to support direct access to file:// paths in Power BI Service.Since your files must remain in the shared folder, a recommended approach is to have your IT team make that same folder accessible through an HTTPS endpoint using your organization’s internal web infrastructure. This does not require moving or duplicating files and ensures that both existing and newly generated files can be accessed using supported HTTPS links. Once those HTTPS links are used and the column is categorized as Web URL, they will work correctly in Power BI Service and the Power BI App.
Thank you.- v-kpoloju-msft
Hi yosihatem,
Just wanted to follow up. If the shared guidance worked for you, that’s wonderful hopefully it also helps others looking for similar answers. If there’s anything else you'd like to explore or clarify, don’t hesitate to reach out.Thank you.