Save to OneDrive and SharePoint: Updated File Picker (Preview)

We have made updates to the Power BI Desktop file picker to create an easier and more intuitive time navigating through existing files and saving new files. We have heard your feedback about the current file picker and have made tremendous efforts in this new update to more closely align the Power BI file picker to Office experiences that you are familiar with.

New updates include:

• Improved experience when opening and saving files in One Drive and SharePoint.
• Easy access to reports in OneDrive and SharePoint.
• Navigating between folders in various workspaces.
• Adding new folders to existing workspaces.
• Pinning folders and files in the file picker.

Now, when you select the Open button in Power BI backstage, you will clearly see a delineation between recent files, OneDrive, and SharePoint. We’ve made it clearer to navigate within your file structure and find the file you need. You can also add new folders as needed.

New updates to the file picker make it easier to navigate between folders and select files.

Now, you can also pin and unpin recent files and folders in the file picker when opening Power BI files from OneDrive and SharePoint. Simply select or deselect the pin icon next to the file/folder to pin or unpin the item. Once an item has been pinned, it will be seen at the top of your ‘Recent’ section. A tooltip is also visible when you hover over the icon to make it clear whether the file is pinned or unpinned.

You can now easily pin and unpin both files and folders in the “Recent” section of the new file picker.

We understand that these updates may interrupt your workflows, so these updates are not on by default. To access the updates, open the latest desktop app, navigate to Options and settings (under the File Menu) > Options > Preview features, click the checkbox to enable ‘Show the new file saving and open experience’ then select ‘OK’ to accept the setting.

These settings will be on by default in early 2025, and will then no longer require an opt-in.