Power BI Refresh How to in 2026?

Melisa 0 Reputation points
2026-01-13T14:19:15+00:00

Hello,

I have created a Power BI dashboard that works without any issues when I manually refresh the data. Everything updates correctly during a manual refresh.

However, I would like the data to refresh automatically. Could you please guide me on the best method to achieve this? Additionally, will the published dashboard also refresh automatically? This is my preferred outcome.

Thank You

Microsoft 365 and Office | Other
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  1. kagiyama yutaka 4,920 Reputation points
    2026-02-02T13:20:58.39+00:00

    If the report refreshes fine manually, u just need to set up a scheduled refresh in the Power BI Service. Go to the dataset settings, add a gateway if ur data’s on‑prem, and set the refresh frequency. Once that’s done, the published report updates on its own.

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  2. Noel Macadangdang 16,880 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-01-13T15:00:02.6866667+00:00

    Hi,

    Thank you for sharing your question. I understand your dashboard refreshes successfully when done manually but you’d like it to update automatically and ensure the published version does too.

    It can be tedious to manually refresh each time, and it’s certainly preferable to have everything update without intervention.

    Power BI relies on scheduled dataset refresh configured in the Power BI Service in order to refresh published dashboards automatically; the refresh in Power BI Desktop does not carry over once the report is published. Additionally, if your data source is on-premises (like SQL Server or local files), a gateway is required to allow the service to access the data.

    Resolution: To enable automatic refresh, publish your report from Power BI Desktop to a Power BI Service workspace. In the service, open the dataset settings and under "Scheduled refresh," configure the refresh frequency according to your license (Pro allows up to 8 refreshes per day, while Premium/PPU allows up to 48). If using on-premises data, ensure you've installed and configured a Power BI gateway and entered valid credentials under “Data source credentials”. Once scheduled successfully, your published dashboard will reflect the updated data automatically whenever the dataset refresh completes.

     

    I hope this helps.

     

    Best Regards,

    Noel

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  3. AI answer

    2026-01-13T14:19:24.76+00:00

    To set up automatic data refresh for your Power BI dashboard, you can follow these steps:

    1. Scheduled Refresh: In the Power BI service, you can configure a scheduled refresh for your dataset. This allows Power BI to refresh the data at specified intervals automatically. You can set this up in the dataset settings under the "Scheduled refresh" section.
    2. Data Gateway: If your data source is on-premises, ensure that you have a reliable enterprise data gateway deployed. This is necessary for Power BI to connect to your on-premises data sources during the scheduled refresh.
    3. Refresh Notifications: Make sure that Power BI can send you notifications about refresh failures. This way, you can address any issues that may arise with the automatic refresh process.

    Regarding your published dashboard, it will refresh automatically as long as the underlying dataset is set to refresh automatically. If the dataset refresh is successful, the dashboard will reflect the latest data without requiring manual intervention.

    By following these steps, you can ensure that your Power BI dashboard updates automatically, providing you with the most current insights.

    References:

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