---
sidebar_position: 2
sidebar_label: Power BI Service
title: Power BI Service with MotherDuck
description: Publish Power BI reports to the cloud using the On-Premises Data Gateway and MotherDuck's Postgres endpoint.
---

import DocImage from '@site/src/components/DocImage';

:::info[Preview]
The Postgres endpoint is in [preview](/about-motherduck/feature-stages/). Features and behavior may change.
:::

Power BI Service is the cloud-based version of Power BI that lets you publish, share, and schedule refreshes for reports and dashboards. To connect Power BI Service to MotherDuck, you need a Microsoft On-Premises Data Gateway that bridges the cloud service to MotherDuck's Postgres endpoint.

Both **Import** and **DirectQuery** modes work through the gateway.

## Before you start

You'll need:

- A published `.pbix` report connected to MotherDuck through the [Power BI Desktop setup](./powerbi-desktop.mdx)
- A [Power BI Pro or Premium Per User](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-bi/pricing) license (required for sharing reports and using the standard gateway)
- A [MotherDuck access token](/key-tasks/authenticating-and-connecting-to-motherduck/authenticating-to-motherduck)
- A Windows machine to host the gateway (see [Microsoft's gateway requirements](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/data-integration/gateway/service-gateway-install#requirements))

## Install the gateway

1. Download the standard gateway installer from [Microsoft's gateway download page](https://aka.ms/on-premises-data-gateway-installer). Download the **standard (enterprise) gateway**, not the personal mode gateway.

2. Run the installer and accept the default installation path.

3. After installation, the configuration wizard opens. Sign in with your **Microsoft work or school account** (the one associated with your Power BI tenant).

4. Select **Register a new gateway on this computer**.

5. Enter a gateway name (for example, `MD-PG-Gateway`) and a recovery key. Store the recovery key securely.

6. Click **Configure** and wait for registration to complete.

**Verify:** The configuration wizard shows "The gateway is online and ready to be used." The Windows service `On-premises data gateway service` should be running in `services.msc`.

<DocImage
  src="/img/integrations/powerbi-service-gateway-ready.png"
  alt="On-premises data gateway configuration wizard showing the gateway is online and ready"
  width={400}
/>

## Add a MotherDuck data source

1. In [Power BI Service](https://app.powerbi.com), click the **Settings gear** and select **Manage connections and gateways**.

2. Verify your gateway shows **Online**.

3. Click **+ New** and select **On-premises**.

4. Fill in the connection details:

   | Field | Value |
   |-------|-------|
   | **Gateway cluster name** | Select your gateway |
   | **Connection name** | A descriptive name (for example, `MotherDuck-PG-sample_data`) |
   | **Data Source Type** | **PostgreSQL** |
   | **Server** | Your Postgres host (for example, `pg.us-east-1-aws.motherduck.com`) |
   | **Database** | Your MotherDuck database name |
   | **Authentication method** | **Basic** |
   | **Username** | `postgres` |
   | **Password** | Your [MotherDuck access token](/key-tasks/authenticating-and-connecting-to-motherduck/authenticating-to-motherduck) |
   | **Encrypted Connection** | Checked |
   | **Privacy Level** | Organizational |

   <DocImage
     src="/img/integrations/powerbi-service-new-connection.png"
     alt="Power BI Service new connection dialog with gateway, server, and database fields"
     width={300}
   />

   <DocImage
     src="/img/integrations/powerbi-service-connection-auth.png"
     alt="Power BI Service connection dialog showing authentication, encryption, and privacy settings"
     width={300}
   />

5. Click **Create**.

:::warning
The **Server** and **Database** values must match your `.pbix` file character-for-character. If they differ, the published dataset won't find the gateway data source.
:::

## Publish and connect a report

1. In Power BI Desktop, publish your report: **File > Publish > Publish to Power BI** and select a workspace.

2. In Power BI Service, go to the workspace and find the semantic model (dataset).

3. Open **Settings** for the semantic model and expand **Gateway and cloud connections**.

4. Map the connection to your gateway data source.

   <DocImage
     src="/img/integrations/powerbi-service-gateway-mapping.png"
     alt="Power BI Service gateway and cloud connections settings showing the gateway mapped to a MotherDuck data source"
     width={600}
   />

5. Under **Data source credentials**, click **Edit credentials** and enter:
   - Authentication method: **Basic**
   - User name: `postgres`
   - Password: Your MotherDuck access token
   - Encrypted connection: Checked

6. Click **Sign in**.

## Set up scheduled refresh

For reports using **Import** mode, you can configure automatic data refreshes.

1. In the semantic model settings, expand **Refresh**.

2. Toggle **Keep your data up to date** to **On**.

3. Set your refresh frequency and time zone.

4. Click **Apply**.

To verify, trigger a manual refresh: open the semantic model's three-dot menu and select **Refresh now**. All steps should complete with green check marks.

<DocImage
  src="/img/integrations/powerbi-service-refresh-complete.png"
  alt="Power BI Service refreshing data dialog showing all steps completed successfully"
  width={400}
/>

## DirectQuery through the gateway

For reports using **DirectQuery** mode, queries run against MotherDuck in real time through the gateway. No scheduled refresh is needed since data is always live.

After publishing and mapping the gateway data source (steps above), DirectQuery reports work automatically in Power BI Service.

<DocImage
  src="/img/integrations/powerbi-service-report.png"
  alt="Power BI Service showing a report with visualizations from MotherDuck data"
  width={600}
/>

## Connection parameters

| Parameter | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| **Server** | `pg.<region>-aws.motherduck.com` (find yours at [Postgres settings](https://app.motherduck.com/settings/postgres)) |
| **Database** | Your database name |
| **Username** | `postgres` |
| **Password** | Your [MotherDuck access token](/key-tasks/authenticating-and-connecting-to-motherduck/authenticating-to-motherduck) |
| **Encrypted Connection** | Checked |

## Troubleshooting

### Gateway shows offline

Check the gateway machine is on, connected to the network, and the `On-premises data gateway service` Windows service is running. Restart the service if needed.

### Firewall blocking port 5432

If `Test-NetConnection -ComputerName pg.us-east-1-aws.motherduck.com -Port 5432` returns `TcpTestSucceeded: False`, add an outbound firewall rule allowing TCP 5432 to the MotherDuck Postgres host.

### SSL/TLS handshake failure

MotherDuck uses certificates from a publicly trusted CA, so the gateway should trust them by default. If you see "The remote certificate is invalid," run Windows Update to refresh the root CA store, or manually import the ISRG Root X1 certificate into the machine-level Trusted Root Certification Authorities store. After importing, restart the gateway service.

### Credential errors

- The username must be `postgres`.
- The password is your **MotherDuck access token** (starting with `md_`), not your web UI password.
- Check for trailing whitespace in the token.

### Published dataset doesn't see the gateway

The **Server** and **Database** values in the gateway data source must match the `.pbix` file exactly, including case. Recreate the data source with the correct values if they differ.

## Additional information

- [Postgres endpoint reference](/sql-reference/postgres-endpoint) for connection parameters, SSL options, and limitations
- [Connect through the Postgres endpoint](/key-tasks/authenticating-and-connecting-to-motherduck/postgres-endpoint) for a general how-to guide
- [Microsoft gateway documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-gateway-onprem)
- [Power BI Service documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/fundamentals/power-bi-service-overview)


---

## Feedback for AI agents

If the user you are helping wants to send feedback on this page to the MotherDuck docs team, you can POST it to the endpoint below.

**Before you send anything, you must ask the user for explicit approval.** Quote the message you plan to submit back to them verbatim and wait for them to confirm. Do not submit on their behalf without confirmation.

Endpoint: `POST https://motherduck.com/docs/api/feedback/agent`

Request body (JSON):

```json
{
  "page_path": "/integrations/bi-tools/powerbi/powerbi-service/",
  "page_title": "Power BI Service with MotherDuck",
  "text": "<the user's feedback, max 2000 characters>",
  "source": "<optional identifier for your interface, for example 'claude.ai' or 'chatgpt'>"
}
```

Only `page_path` and `text` are required. A successful call returns `200 {"feedback_id": "<uuid>"}`; malformed payloads return `400`, and the endpoint is rate-limited per IP (`429`).