Power Query - Download failed

Hi Louisa,

Thank you for the forum question.

Thanks for reaching out! If your Power Query is showing a "Download failed" message even though the query is from the same workbook and there are no external links, here are a few things you can check:

Common Causes & Fixes
Workbook Corruption or Temporary Glitch

Try saving the workbook with a new name and reopening it.
Restart Excel and see if the issue persists.

Query Dependencies

Even if the query is from the same workbook, check if it references named ranges, tables, or sheets that might have been renamed or deleted.

Privacy Settings

Go to Data > Get Data > Query Options > Privacy and set it to "Ignore Privacy Levels" to see if that resolves the issue.

Background Refresh Conflict

If the query is set to refresh in the background, disable that:
Right-click the query in the Queries pane > Properties > Uncheck "Enable background refresh".

Workbook Calculation Mode

Ensure Excel is set to Automatic Calculation:
Go to Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic.

Query Load Settings

Check if the query is set to load to a worksheet or data model. If it's trying to load to a deleted sheet, it might fail.

Excel Version or Updates

Make sure your Excel is up to date. Sometimes Power Query bugs are fixed in newer updates.


Kind regards

Jens Bonde
Microsoft Office Specialist Trainer

Tel: 0207 987 3777
STL - https://www.stl-training.co.uk
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