Desktop Bridge unavailable on Power BI Desktop 2.154 — "secure local APIs" preview feature missing; docs lack required Desktop version

[arielelevy]

Summary

The powerbi-desktop Desktop Bridge CLI (@microsoft/powerbi-desktop-bridge-cli) cannot connect on Power BI Desktop 2.154.1260.0. status always returns not_connected and the named pipe pbi-desktop-bridge-<pid> is never created — so reload/screenshot (the visual-verification loop the powerbi-report-authoring skill depends on) are unusable.

The skill docs say to enable a preview feature, but that checkbox is not present in this build, and the docs do not state the minimum Power BI Desktop version/channel required.

Environment (observed)

• Power BI Desktop: 2.154.1260.0. The Microsoft Store build and the downloadable MSI (PBIDesktopSetup_x64.exe, listed as 2.154.1260.0, 636.6 MB, published 2026-05-29) are the same version.
• OS: Windows 11
• @microsoft/powerbi-desktop-bridge-cli: 0.1.1
• @microsoft/powerbi-report-authoring-cli: 0.1.1 — works: generates and validates PBIR (result: succeeded).
• Node: v22

What the docs say

plugins/powerbi-authoring/skills/powerbi-report-authoring/references/powerbi-desktop.md (NO_BRIDGE row):

In Desktop, open File > Options and settings > Options > Preview features, enable Enable external tool access to Power BI Desktop through secure local APIs, restart Desktop, then retry powerbi-desktop status.

Observed behavior (facts, not inference)

1. Options > Preview features does not list a checkbox named "Enable external tool access to Power BI Desktop through secure local APIs" on this build.
2. With a PBIP report open in Desktop, powerbi-desktop status returns {"status":"not_connected","instances":[]}.
3. Enumerating every named pipe on the machine returns no pbi-desktop-bridge-* pipe.
4. powerbi-desktop open <pbip> (with PBI_DESKTOP_PATH set to the real PBIDesktop.exe) launches Desktop but the returned bridgeStatus is still not_connected.

I am not asserting the root cause. These are the reproducible observations.

Request

Please document, in the report-authoring skill and/or the Learn page (https://aka.ms/Report_Authoring_skill_LearnDocs):

1. The minimum Power BI Desktop version that ships the Desktop Bridge host / the "secure local APIs" feature.
2. The release channel required (GA vs Insiders/preview), if any.
3. Whether the Microsoft Store build is supported or only the standalone installer.
4. A precise pre-flight check (e.g., "if Options > Preview features does not list this toggle, the Desktop build does not support the bridge — update to version X.YYY or later").

[Sharlkaur]

Hi,

The desktop bridge is available from Power BI desktop's 2026 June version which will go live soon (in both MS store and download center). However, you can still use the Skills to create, edit reports without the desktop bridge.

Due to some internal issues, the learn document release is delayed but should be updated as soon as the issue is resolved.

Apologies for the inconvenience.

[Sharlkaur]

Power BI desktop's 2026 June version should be live now. please let me know if you are still experiencing the issue.

[arielelevy]

Updated! I can use the bridge now, thanks