Power BI filters pane: control what readers can see and change
Power BI filters pane sits along the right side of the report canvas and holds the filters for a visual, a page or the whole report. As the author, you decide which filters readers see, which ones they can change and how the pane looks. This guide covers the three levels, the lock and hide options and the settings that Microsoft documents.
- Three filter levels
- Lock or hide filters
- Formatting and search
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What is the Power BI filters pane?
The pane lists every filter that shapes the data on screen. Microsoft describes three levels. A filter can apply to one visual, to all visuals on a page or to all pages in the report.
Some filters appear without any action from you. When you add a visual to the canvas, Power BI automatically adds a filter for each field in that visual. You can then drag other fields into the pane to filter by data the visual does not show.
Readers get the same pane after you publish. They can also hover over any visual to see a read-only list of the filters and slicers that affect it. So the pane doubles as a record of what the numbers include.
The three filter levels and where each one applies
Each level has its own area in the pane, and Microsoft names the areas as shown here.
| Level | Area in the pane | What it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Visual | Filters on this visual | Only the selected visual |
| Page | Filters on this page | All visuals on the current page |
| Report | Filters on all pages | All visuals on every page |
| Automatic | Filters on this visual | Fields already used in the visual |
| Hidden card | Not shown to readers | Still applies to the data |
Add a filter to the Power BI filters pane in four steps
The steps follow Microsoft's article and are almost identical in Power BI Desktop and the Power BI service.
Open the panes
First open the report in Report view, or in Editing view in the service. Then show the Filters, Visualizations and Data panes.
Pick the field
Next locate the field in the Data pane. For a visual-level filter, select the visual first so it becomes active.
Drag it to a level
Then drag the field into the area labeled Add data fields here under the level you want.
Set the condition
Finally choose the filter type, such as basic or advanced filtering, and select the values or conditions.
How do you lock or hide a filter?
Each filter card carries two icons. When you lock a filter, readers can see it but cannot change it. When you hide a filter, they cannot even see it. Hidden filters also stay out of the pop-up filter list of a visual.
Microsoft gives a typical use for hiding. Data cleanup filters, such as one that excludes nulls or unexpected values, mean little to a reader. So hiding them keeps the pane short and avoids confusion.
You can also hide the entire pane from readers with the eye icon next to Filters. However, consider the effect first. Without the pane, readers depend on slicers and on the filter list of each visual.
Three settings that shape the Power BI filters pane
Microsoft documents these options in the report settings, and each one changes the reader experience.
Search
A search box finds filter cards by title. It is on by default, and the report settings let you turn it off.
Filter type changes
The filtering experience settings control whether readers can change the filter type, for example from basic to advanced.
Apply button
In Power BI Desktop, the query reduction options add a single Apply button, so all filter changes run at once.
How do you format the pane to match the report?
A default pane can look foreign next to a styled report. To format it, select the report background, then open Format in the Visualizations pane. Options for the Filters pane and for the filter cards appear there.
For the pane, you can set the background color, transparency, border and the title and header text. For the cards, the same kinds of options exist in two sets. One set covers applied cards, and the other covers available ones.
That split is useful. Microsoft points out that different colors for applied and available cards make it obvious which filters are active. A theme file can also carry these defaults, so every report in a series looks the same.
Power BI filters pane: questions from report authors
Why is the Power BI filters pane missing in my published report?
Two causes are common. The author may have hidden the pane with the eye icon, so readers do not see it. Also, Microsoft states that Publish to web does not display the Filters pane at all. For a report published that way, add slicers for filtering instead.
Can I change the order of filters in the Power BI filters pane?
Yes. The default sort order is alphabetical. To start a custom order, drag any filter to a new position. However, Microsoft notes one restriction: you can reorder filters only within the level they apply to, such as within the visual-level section.
Can I rename a filter card for readers?
Yes. While you edit the pane, double-click the title of the card and type a new name. The change affects only the display name of that card. The field keeps its original name in the fields list, so the model stays untouched.
Do reader filter changes persist between visits?
Yes, in the Power BI service. Microsoft explains that filters persist from one session to the next, so readers pick up where they left off. They can select Reset to default to return to the state the author saved. Authors can also disallow saving filters in the report settings.
Can Power BI Agency review the filter design of our reports?
Yes. One of our consultants checks each filter level, removes duplicates, locks or hides what readers should not change and aligns the pane with your report style. We work remotely inside your own Microsoft tenant. Power BI Agency is a division of Sataware Technologies, independent of Microsoft, and begins with a free 30-minute assessment.
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