How to Change Saved Web Credentials in Excel Power Query
Question details
The user needs to reset or change saved web credentials in Excel Power Query after entering and saving an incorrect authentication method.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Connecting to a website via Power Query using the Access Web Content dialog.
- Observed behavior
- Excel automatically applies the previously saved, incorrect authentication method and bypasses the login options, preventing the user from entering the correct credentials.
Ensure that you have your correct login credentials (such as username, password, or API key) ready before clearing your saved data source permissions.
Clear Permissions in Data Source Settings
Clear the globally saved permissions for the specific website so Excel forces a fresh login prompt with all authentication options.
Excel saves your web credentials globally by default to speed up future connections. If incorrect details are saved, you must manually clear them from the Data Source Settings before you can authenticate again.
Navigate to the 'Data' tab on the Excel ribbon, click on 'Get Data', and select 'Data Source Settings' from the drop-down menu.
In the Data Source Settings dialog box, ensure the 'Global permissions' toggle at the top is selected. Scroll through the list and click on the specific website URL you want to modify.
Click the 'Clear Permissions' button at the bottom of the dialog box. Confirm the deletion when prompted by Excel.
Close the settings window and try connecting to your web data source again via Power Query. Excel will now display the 'Access Web Content' dialog, allowing you to choose the correct authentication method.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel remember my incorrect web credentials?
Excel's Power Query automatically saves your authentication settings globally to speed up future connections to the same domain. If you accidentally enter incorrect details, it stores them until you manually clear or edit the permissions.
Can I edit the saved credentials instead of clearing them entirely?
Yes. In the Data Source Settings, select the URL and click 'Edit Permissions'. From there, click 'Edit' under the Credentials section to update your username or password without deleting the entire permission record.
Does clearing global permissions affect my other Excel workbooks?
Yes, clearing credentials from 'Global permissions' will remove that saved login for all workbooks on your computer. If you only want to affect the current file, check the 'Data sources in current workbook' tab instead.
What authentication methods are supported in Power Query?
Power Query supports Anonymous, Windows, Basic (Username/Password), Web API, and Organizational Account authentication methods, depending on what the destination data source allows.
