In Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2016 or later on Windows, Power Query is already built in, so there is nothing to install or switch on. Open the Data tab and look for the Get & Transform Data group, then select Get Data > Launch Power Query Editor. Only Excel 2010 and Excel 2013 need Microsoft’s separate Power Query add-in, which adds its own Power Query tab once it is installed and enabled.
Applies to: Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel 2024, Excel 2021, Excel 2019 and Excel 2016 for Windows; Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac; Excel for the web; the legacy Power Query add-in for Excel 2010 and 2013. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.
Power Query is the tool Excel uses to connect to data, clean it up and load it into a workbook. You can pull in a CSV file, another workbook, a web page or a database, remove the columns you don’t need, fix data types, and then save those steps as a query. When the source changes, refreshing the query repeats every step automatically, so you don’t redo the cleanup by hand.
The name is the main source of confusion. Microsoft calls the feature Get & Transform in Excel, and in current versions there is no ribbon tab labeled “Power Query.” The commands sit in the Get & Transform Data and Queries & Connections groups on the Data tab, and the editing window that opens is called the Power Query Editor. A separate Power Query tab only existed in Excel 2010 and 2013, where the feature came as an add-in.
Which versions have Power Query built in
| Excel version | Power Query status | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Excel for Microsoft 365 (Windows) | Built in, with the full set of Power Query features | Data tab, Get & Transform Data group |
| Excel 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 (Windows) | Built in; one-time-purchase versions have a large subset of the features, and available data sources vary by version | Data tab, Get & Transform Data group |
| Excel 2010 and Excel 2013 (Windows) | Not built in; Microsoft’s free add-in, which is no longer updated | Power Query tab after the add-in is installed |
| Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac | Available to Microsoft 365 subscribers | Data > Get Data |
| Excel 2016 and Excel 2019 for Mac | Not supported | Not available |
| Excel for the web | Available; some features need a business or enterprise plan | Data > Get Data |
| Excel for Android and iOS | Not supported | Not available |
Before you start: check your Excel version
If you are not sure which version you have, find out first, because it decides which section below applies to you.
- Open Excel and select File, then Account.
- Select About Excel. The dialog box that opens shows the full version number and whether your Office is 32-bit or 64-bit.
- Note both details. The version tells you whether Power Query is built in, and the 32-bit or 64-bit detail matters only if you need the Excel 2010 or 2013 add-in.
These steps are for current versions. Microsoft’s guide to finding your Office version links to instructions for older releases.
How to open Power Query in Excel for Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016
These versions need no download or add-in. Follow these steps to open the Power Query Editor:
- Open a workbook. Start Excel and open the workbook you want to load data into, or create a blank one.
- Select the Data tab. It is one of the main tabs on the ribbon at the top of the Excel window.
- Find the Get & Transform Data group. The Data tab also has a Queries & Connections group. Together, these two groups hold the Power Query commands.
- Select Get Data. A menu opens with data source categories such as From File and From Other Sources.
- Select Launch Power Query Editor. It is one of the commands on the Get Data menu. The Power Query Editor opens in its own window.
Opening an empty editor proves Power Query is available, but most people start from the data itself. Any of these routes also opens the Power Query Editor:
- From a table or range in the same workbook: select a cell in your data, then select Data > From Table/Range. If the data isn’t formatted as a table yet, Excel shows the Create Table dialog box first.
- From a CSV or text file: select Data > Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV, pick the file, and then select Transform Data instead of Load. Our guide to importing a CSV file into Excel covers the preview window in detail.
- From another workbook: select Data > Get Data > From File > From Excel Workbook.
- From a web page: select Data > Get Data > From Other Sources > From Web.
- From scratch: select Data > Get Data > From Other Sources > Blank Query.
How to confirm Power Query is working
Run a quick test with a few rows of data so you can see the whole round trip:
- Type a small list on a worksheet, for example a header row and three rows of names and amounts.
- Select any cell in the list, then select Data > From Table/Range. Confirm the range when the Create Table dialog box appears. The Power Query Editor opens with your list.
- In the editor, select Home > Close & Load > Close & Load. Excel loads the query results into the workbook.
- Select Data > Queries & Connections. The pane that opens lists your query on its Queries tab.
To go back into a query later, right-click it in the Queries & Connections pane and select Edit. You can also select a cell in the loaded results and use Query > Edit; the Query tab appears on the ribbon only while a cell of query data is selected. If you want to choose where the results go, use Close & Load To instead, which opens the Import Data dialog box.
How to add Power Query to Excel 2010 or Excel 2013
Excel 2010 and 2013 don’t include Power Query, but Microsoft released it for them as a free add-in called Microsoft Power Query for Excel. Microsoft has deprecated that add-in and no longer updates it. You can still use it, but Microsoft recommends moving to Excel 2016 or later, where Power Query is part of the Data tab.
Check these requirements before you download it:
- Office edition: for Office 2010, Microsoft lists Office 2010 Professional Plus with Software Assurance. For Office 2013, the Professional Plus, Office 365 ProPlus and Excel 2013 standalone editions get the full version of the add-in; other Office 2013 desktop editions get a version with fewer data sources.
- Architecture: the download comes in 32-bit and 64-bit versions, and the one you choose must match your installed Office, not your copy of Windows.
- Browser component: the add-in requires Internet Explorer 9 or later.
- Windows: the download page lists Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, plus Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012.
Then install it:
- Close Excel.
- Go to the Microsoft Power Query for Excel download page and download the installer that matches your Office architecture (32-bit or 64-bit). Use only Microsoft’s own download page.
- Run the downloaded MSI installer and follow the setup steps.
- Open Excel again. A Power Query tab should now appear on the ribbon, and that tab is where the add-in’s commands live.
If the Power Query tab doesn’t appear
The add-in may be installed but turned off. Power Query for Excel is a COM add-in, and Microsoft’s add-in instructions turn COM add-ins on like this:
- Select File > Options > Add-Ins.
- In the Manage box, choose COM Add-ins and select Go. The COM Add-Ins dialog box opens.
- Select the check box next to Microsoft Power Query for Excel, then select OK.
- Look for the Power Query tab on the ribbon again.
To turn the add-in off later, clear the same check box. That unloads it but keeps it in the list, so you can turn it back on without reinstalling.
How to use Power Query in Excel for Mac
Power Query in Excel for Mac requires a Microsoft 365 subscription. It is not available in Excel 2016 or Excel 2019 for Mac, so upgrading the app is the only way to get it on those versions.
- Open Excel and select the Data tab.
- Select Get Data, then Get Data (Power Query). The Choose data source dialog box opens.
- Select a source, connect to it, choose the data you want, and select Load.
Microsoft lists Excel Workbook, Text/CSV, XML, JSON, SharePoint Online List, OData, Blank Table and Blank Query among the sources you can use on a Mac. To open the editor, select Launch Power Query Editor after Get Data (Power Query); Microsoft says the editor is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers running Excel for Mac Version 16.69 (23010700) or later. To update your queries, select Data > Refresh All. The first refresh of a file-based query may ask you to update the file path, which you do in Data Source Settings.
How to use Power Query in Excel for the web
Excel for the web includes Power Query too. Select Data > Get Data to import data, or choose Launch Power Query Editor from the same menu. Data > Queries opens the Queries pane, and Data > Refresh All updates everything in the workbook.
Viewing and refreshing queries is available to all Microsoft 365 subscribers. Microsoft says additional Power Query functionality in the browser requires a Microsoft 365 Business plan or an Enterprise plan (E3 and above), so on other plans you may be limited to viewing and refreshing queries. Excel for the web also can’t refresh data sources that need an on-premises data gateway.
Troubleshooting: Power Query or Get Data is missing
The Get & Transform Data group isn’t on the Data tab
Check your version first. If you have Excel 2013 or earlier, the group doesn’t exist; follow the add-in steps above. If you have Excel 2016 or later, the ribbon may have been customized. Right-click an empty area of the ribbon and select Customize the Ribbon. In the list of tabs, make sure the Data tab’s check box is selected. If the tab is there but its groups are missing, select the Data tab in that list, select Reset and choose Reset only selected Ribbon tab. Reset all customizations also works, but it removes every ribbon and Quick Access Toolbar change you have made, so use it only if you don’t need those.
The Data tab looks different from these steps
If your ribbon shows a Power Query tab, you are using the Excel 2010 or 2013 add-in, and its commands are on that tab rather than on the Data tab. On a phone or tablet, Power Query isn’t supported at all; open the workbook in Excel on a computer or in a web browser instead.
A data source you expected is missing from Get Data
Data sources differ between versions. Microsoft 365 has every Power Query feature, while one-time-purchase versions such as Excel 2019 have a large subset. For example, Microsoft’s list shows the JSON connector for Excel 2019 and Microsoft 365 but not for Excel 2016, and fuzzy merge is listed for Microsoft 365 but not for Excel 2019. If you need one of these, the fix is a newer version, not a setting. If you are working with JSON files, see our guide on opening a JSON file in Excel.
The add-in won’t install or shows an error in Excel 2010 or 2013
The most common cause is a mismatch between the installer and Office: a 64-bit installer won’t fit 32-bit Office, even on 64-bit Windows. Recheck your Office architecture and download the other file if needed. Also confirm that your Office edition is on the supported list above and that Internet Explorer 9 or later is installed.
Work or school computer restrictions
On a managed computer, you may not be allowed to install add-ins or connect to some data sources. Microsoft advises contacting the system administrator who provided an add-in for help installing or removing it. On Excel for the web, a missing editor can also come down to your Microsoft 365 plan, as described above.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to enable Power Query in Excel 365?
No. In Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel 2016 or later on Windows, Power Query is part of Excel. You use it from the Get & Transform Data group on the Data tab.
Is Power Query the same as Get & Transform?
Yes. Get & Transform is the name Excel uses for its Power Query features on the Data tab. The window where you shape your data is the Power Query Editor.
Is Power Query free?
There’s no separate charge. It is included with Excel 2016 and later, and the older add-in for Excel 2010 and 2013 was a free download from Microsoft. On the web and on a Mac, what you can do depends on your Microsoft 365 subscription.
Can I still download Power Query for Excel 2010 or 2013?
Microsoft’s download page for the add-in is still available, but the add-in is deprecated and no longer updated. Microsoft says you may still use it for now but that this may change, so upgrading to a current version of Excel is the long-term fix.
Is Power Query available on a Mac?
Yes, for Microsoft 365 subscribers, through Data > Get Data > Get Data (Power Query). It isn’t supported in Excel 2016 or Excel 2019 for Mac.
What is the difference between Power Query and Power Pivot?
Power Query brings data in and cleans it. You can then load the result to a worksheet or to the workbook’s Data Model, a collection of related tables stored inside the workbook, which is what Power Pivot works with for modeling and analysis.
Do I need to learn a programming language to use Power Query?
No. Most tasks are done with buttons and menus in the editor, and Power Query records each step for you. Behind the scenes those steps are written in the Power Query M language, which you can view and change in the Advanced Editor if you want to.
Once Power Query opens, try a small import such as a CSV file and use Transform Data to see the editor in action. Microsoft’s About Power Query in Excel page is a good next read for the bigger picture.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.