What causes Windows.Services.PowerBIWebException?

A proxy authentication server on the corporate network blocks web requests from Power BI Desktop. The proxy requires credentials that Power BI Desktop does not automatically provide. Power BI Desktop trace files show: Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.Services.PowerBIWebException with HttpStatusCode: ProxyAuthenticationRequired

How do I fix Windows.Services.PowerBIWebException?

Ask your network administrator to add these domains to the proxy authentication server allowlist: app.powerbi.com, api.powerbi.com, and *.analysis.windows.net.. For government cloud, allowlist: app.powerbigov.us, api.powerbigov.us, and *.analysis.usgovcloudapi.net.. To allow Power BI Desktop to use default Windows (system) credentials for proxy authentication, create a registry entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Power BI Desktop → DWORD 'UseDefaultCredentialsForProxy' = 1.. Only use Negotiation as the authentication scheme for the proxy server when enabling UseDefaultCredentialsForProxy.

Medium severityauthentication

Power BI Refresh Error:
Windows.Services.PowerBIWebException

What does this error mean?

Power BI Desktop sign-in fails due to proxy authentication. Add Power BI domains to the proxy allowlist or set UseDefaultCredentialsForProxy in the registry.

Common causes

1A proxy authentication server on the corporate network blocks web requests from Power BI Desktop
2The proxy requires credentials that Power BI Desktop does not automatically provide
3Power BI Desktop trace files show: Microsoft.PowerBI.Client.Windows.Services.PowerBIWebException with HttpStatusCode: ProxyAuthenticationRequired

How to fix it

1Ask your network administrator to add these domains to the proxy authentication server allowlist: app.powerbi.com, api.powerbi.com, and *.analysis.windows.net.
2For government cloud, allowlist: app.powerbigov.us, api.powerbigov.us, and *.analysis.usgovcloudapi.net.
3To allow Power BI Desktop to use default Windows (system) credentials for proxy authentication, create a registry entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft Power BI Desktop → DWORD 'UseDefaultCredentialsForProxy' = 1.
4Only use Negotiation as the authentication scheme for the proxy server when enabling UseDefaultCredentialsForProxy.

Beyond the docs

Common practitioner solutions not covered in the official documentation.

1After creating the registry entry, restart Power BI Desktop — it will use the proxy settings defined in Internet Explorer

Frequently asked questions

Does this error affect all users or just the dataset owner?

The refresh runs under the dataset owner's OAuth token. Only the dataset owner needs to re-authorize — other users can still view existing report data.

How often do OAuth tokens expire in Power BI?

It depends on the connected service. Microsoft 365 tokens typically expire after 60–90 days of inactivity. SharePoint Online tokens may expire sooner if the organization's token lifetime policy is stricter.

Can I prevent this from happening again?

Use a service account (non-personal account) as the dataset owner for production datasets. Service account tokens don't expire due to password resets or departures.

Does this error appear in Power BI Desktop?

No — authentication errors of this type only occur during scheduled or manual refreshes in Power BI Service.

Source · learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/desktop-troubleshooting-sign-in