Create bookmarks to capture report states and build navigation with buttons
Bookmarks capture the current state of a Power BI report page — which visuals are visible, what filters are applied, and which slicers are selected. Combined with buttons, bookmarks create navigation flows, show/hide panels, and toggle between views — making your reports feel like a professional app rather than a static dashboard.
Common uses: toggle between a chart view and a table view, show/hide a filter panel, create a navigation bar with page links, create "reset all filters" functionality.
Example
Create a show/hide toggle with bookmarks
USE CASE: Show/hide a filter panel on click
STEP 1 — Design:
Add a panel shape (Insert → Shapes → Rectangle)
Add slicers on top of the panel shape
Group them: select all → Format → Group
STEP 2 — Capture hidden state:
Select the group → right-click → Hide
View → Bookmarks → Add bookmark → name "Hidden Panel"
STEP 3 — Capture visible state:
Select the group → right-click → Show
Add bookmark → name "Visible Panel"
STEP 4 — Add buttons:
Insert → Buttons → Blank
Name it "Show Filters"
Format pane → Action → Type: Bookmark → Visible Panel
Add another button "Hide Filters"
Action: Bookmark → Hidden Panel
STEP 5 — Layer the buttons on the panel edge:
"Show Filters" button: visible when panel is hidden
"Hide Filters" button: visible when panel is shown
Each bookmark captures which button is visible/hidden too
💡 Check "Data", "Display", and "Current page" options in the bookmark to control what each bookmark captures.
Key Points
✓Bookmarks capture: slicer state, visual visibility, filter state, scroll position
✓Check/uncheck "Data" in bookmark options to control whether it saves the filter state
✓Buttons need Action enabled (Format pane → Action → On) to do anything when clicked
✓Bookmark Navigator (Insert → Buttons → Navigator) auto-creates a bookmark menu
✓Use Ctrl+click to preview a bookmark in the Bookmarks pane without switching to it
Practice Question
You want a button that toggles a filter panel visible/hidden in your Power BI report. What feature do you need to set this up?