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Fix Excel for Mac Power Query Not Loading Data to Table
Question details
Users need to resolve an issue where Power Query retrieves updated data correctly in the editor preview but fails to populate the connected worksheet table.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Refreshing external data connections via Power Query using OData or Excel file sources.
- Observed behavior
- The Power Query refresh completes without errors and shows the updated data in the preview window, but the destination worksheet table remains empty or does not reflect the new data. This is identified as a known issue in versions 16.85 and 16.86.
Verify your current Excel version by clicking 'Excel' > 'About Microsoft Excel' in the top Mac menu bar to confirm if you are running the affected 16.85 or 16.86 versions.
Restore Previous Excel Version via Time Machine
Since this bug is tied specifically to versions 16.85 and 16.86, reverting to version 16.84 is the most effective workaround until a patch is released.
Downgrading your application utilizing macOS Time Machine allows you to recover the stable 16.84 version of Excel without losing your personal workbook files.
Ensure Excel is completely closed. Right-click the Excel icon in your Dock and select 'Quit'.
Connect the external drive used for your Time Machine backups. Click the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select 'Enter Time Machine'.
Navigate to the 'Applications' folder. Use the timeline on the right side of the screen to scroll back to a date prior to the 16.85 update (when you had version 16.84 installed).
Select 'Microsoft Excel.app' and click the 'Restore' button. When macOS prompts you, choose to replace the current version.
Report the Issue to Microsoft Support
If you cannot downgrade, submitting feedback directly helps Microsoft's engineering team gauge the impact of the bug across multiple workbooks and expedite a hotfix.
Try WPS Office for Stable Data Management
If update bugs in Excel for Mac are disrupting your critical data workflows, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative for managing spreadsheets without unexpected application disruptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Power Query preview show data but the Excel table is empty?
This is a known software bug in Excel for Mac versions 16.85 and 16.86. The query execution engine successfully pulls the data (which you see in the preview), but the final step of writing that data back into the connected worksheet table fails.
How can I check which version of Excel for Mac I am currently using?
Open the Excel application, click on 'Excel' in the top Mac menu bar next to the Apple logo, and select 'About Microsoft Excel'. A dialog box will appear displaying your current version number (e.g., 16.86).
Will updating to a newer version of Excel fix the Power Query bug?
Yes, once Microsoft releases a patch in a future update (such as 16.87 or later), the bug should be resolved. Until that update is officially rolled out, reverting to version 16.84 is the recommended workaround.
