Others

Fix Power BI Recovery File Stuck on Refresh Screen

WPS Editor Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

User needs help resolving an issue where a Power BI recovery file is completely unresponsive and stuck on the initial refresh screen after a system crash.

How to Fix a Power BI Recovery File Stuck on the Refresh Screen

Product: Microsoft Power BI
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The user is attempting to open and recover their work in Power BI following a sudden computer crash.
Observed behavior: The Power BI application remains indefinitely stuck on the initial Refresh screen. Both the 'Cancel Refresh' button and the standard close command fail to respond.

Before you start

Before attempting to forcefully close the application or run further troubleshooting steps, ensure you have located your recovery file directory and created a backup copy of the file to prevent permanent data corruption.

Solution 1Recommended

Force Close Power BI and Consult the Official Community

Since the application is entirely unresponsive, you must forcefully close the software and reach out to the Microsoft Power BI Community for specialized, product-specific investigation.

Recovery file corruption after a system crash can cause the refresh process to hang indefinitely. Because the standard close buttons are unresponsive, you will need to use Task Manager to terminate the process.

Force close the unresponsive application

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the Windows Task Manager. Locate 'Microsoft Power BI Desktop' in the list of active processes, right-click it, and select 'End task'.

Back up your local recovery file

Navigate to the Power BI auto-recovery folder on your local drive (usually found in your AppData directory). Copy the recovery file and paste it into a safe backup folder on your desktop.

Collect your system details

Note down your current operating system version, the exact version of Power BI Desktop you are running, and any specific error messages that appeared before or after the crash.

Post your issue in the official community

Visit the Microsoft Power BI Community forums (community.fabric.microsoft.com). Create a new topic explaining that your recovery file is stuck on refresh, and provide the system details and file location you noted earlier.

Force Close Power BI and Consult the Official Community

Important Precautions: Do not delete any temporary files or attempt to reinstall the software until you have safely backed up the original recovery file and received guidance from official support channels.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Data Analysis and Reporting

While Power BI is a powerful tool for complex business intelligence, WPS Spreadsheet offers a lightweight, highly stable, and free alternative for everyday data analysis, charting, and reporting. It features a familiar interface, strong crash-resistance, and built-in auto-backup functionalities to keep your data safe.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free suite and follow the simple on-screen instructions to install it on your computer.
2. Launch WPS Spreadsheet: Open WPS Office and click on 'Spreadsheet' from the main dashboard to access the data analysis tools.
3. Import Your Datasets: Click 'Open' to import your existing Excel workbooks or CSV datasets seamlessly, and instantly begin analyzing your data with built-in formulas and charts.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) and CSV file formatsBuilt-in Auto-Backup and File Roaming to prevent data loss during unexpected system crashesLightweight application that runs smoothly and efficiently, even on older operating systemsPowerful pivot tables and built-in chart tools for quick data visualization

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Power BI recovery files saved locally?

By default, Power BI Desktop AutoRecover files are temporarily saved in the user's AppData folder. You can typically locate them by navigating to C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop\AutoRecovery.

Why does Power BI get stuck on the refresh screen?

Power BI can freeze during a refresh if the underlying data source connection is lost, if there is a severe memory bottleneck caused by loading a massive dataset, or if the recovery file itself sustained corruption during a sudden computer crash.

How can I prevent data loss from unexpected computer crashes?

Always ensure that auto-recovery features are enabled in your software's settings. Additionally, develop a habit of frequently saving your work manually (using Ctrl+S) and consider saving critical project files directly to a synchronized cloud storage folder like OneDrive or Google Drive.

Office Quick Solutions