Easy Tech TutsHow to Connect Databricks to Power BI Easily 2026
By Impran M N
Querying big data lakehouse tables from Databricks doesn't require wrestling with ODBC drivers if you use Power BI's native connector. This guide covers gathering your cluster's connection details, authenticating securely, and choosing between Import and DirectQuery so you can browse Unity Catalog tables and build dashboards from Delta tables.
01Get your cluster connection details
In your Databricks workspace, open your SQL Warehouse or compute cluster, expand Advanced Options, and copy the Server Hostname and HTTP Path from the JDBC/ODBC tab.
02Connect with the Azure Databricks connector
In Power BI Desktop, click Get Data, select the Azure Databricks connector, and paste in the hostname and HTTP path.
03Choose a connectivity mode
Select either Import for scheduled data loads or DirectQuery for near real-time querying against the warehouse.
04Authenticate securely
Choose OAuth or a Personal Access Token, enter your credential, and click Connect to establish the session.
05Browse Unity Catalog and publish
Navigate catalogs, schemas, and Delta tables in the Navigator panel, load your target tables, and publish the report to a cloud workspace.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install a separate ODBC driver?
No, the native Azure Databricks connector in Power BI handles the connection without requiring manual driver installation.
Should I choose Import or DirectQuery for large tables?
Import gives faster report performance for most use cases, while DirectQuery is better when you need sub-second reflection of live changes in massive datasets.
Is a Personal Access Token safer than OAuth?
Both are secure options; OAuth is generally preferred for interactive user sessions, while tokens work well for scheduled or automated connections.
Do I need an on-premises gateway to publish this report?
No, since Databricks is cloud-hosted, you can publish and refresh directly through the Power BI Service without a gateway.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
