A blank button for sending email

[hidenseek9]

Hi I am placing a blank button on top of an email logo, so when a user clicks on it, it automatically opens Outlook to send me an email. 

I turn on Action and under Web URL I am typing,

mailto:firstname.lastname@XXX.com

with my actual email address

However, the button is not responding. 

Any fix on this?

[kushanNa · Accepted solution]

hi @hidenseek9 

check if this works for you ? 

https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/How-to-create-a-button-as-a-hyperlink-for-sending-... 

[hidenseek9]

Email did not work, so instead I put in a URL for Microsoft Forms which then sends me an email.

The URL is working for the form so this is good for now. 

Thank you for all the answers and I will accept some solutions above. 

[v-nmadadi-msft]

Hi @hidenseek9 
Thanks for reaching out to the Microsoft fabric community forum.

Thank you @Nasif_Azam for some valuable points.
As you are using an excel to get your email data to power BI,

you can use conditional formatting to link to that particular email  as well for your button.
Just click on the fx beside Web URL to use conditional formatting.

Please check if you are able to get the button to work with this technique.

If you find this post helpful, please mark it as an "Accept as Solution" and consider giving a KUDOS. Feel free to reach out if you need further assistance.
Thank you

[kushanNa · Accepted solution]

hi @hidenseek9 

check if this works for you ? 

https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/How-to-create-a-button-as-a-hyperlink-for-sending-... 

[Nasif_Azam]

Hey @hidenseek9 ,

You're on the right track with using mailto: in the Web URL action, but there are a few common issues that can prevent the button from working in Power BI:

1. Confirm the Button is Clickable

• Ensure the Action toggle is ON (which it is, per your screenshot).
• The Type is set to "Web URL".

2. Correct mailto: Format:  Make sure there are no extra spaces or special characters. mailto:firstname.lastname@yourdomain.com

3. Test in Power BI Service:

• Publish the report to the Power BI Service.
• Then, open it in your browser and click the email button there.
• It should now trigger Outlook or your default email app to open.

4. Browser's Default Email App Must Be Set Correctly

5. Button Might Be Hidden Behind or Blocked by Other Elements

• If you're placing the button on top of an email logo, Ensure the button is truly on top (bring to front).
• Resize it properly to match the clickable area.

If you found this solution helpful, please consider accepting it and giving it a kudos (Like) it’s greatly appreciated and helps others find the solution more easily.

Best Regards,
Nasif Azam

[hidenseek9]

@Nasif_Azam 

Thank you for the quick answer. 

However, it is not working unfortunately. 

An interesting thing is that in an excel file, I put my email address and load in Power BI, this works. 

I use a table visual and turn my email address in an icon, the icon is successful at opening Outlook. 

However, i dont like how this looks, so I really hope a blank button could work. 

[hidenseek9]

@Nasif_Azam 

Thank you for the quick answer. 

However, it is not working unfortunately. 

An interesting thing is that in an excel file, I put my email address and load in Power BI, this works. 

I use a table visual and turn my email address in an icon, the icon is successful at opening Outlook. 

However, i dont like how this looks, so I really hope a blank button could work. 

[Nasif_Azam · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the update and screenshot, your observation is 100% correct and helps us get closer to a solution. Let’s break it down and give you a working workaround using a clean, styled button that still launches Outlook, just like the table icon does.

Root of the Problem
Power BI has limited support for mailto: links on buttons, especially when used in Power BI Desktop, or configured directly in button actions, especially with static values. Meanwhile, table visuals do support hyperlinks (including mailto:) and correctly interpret them.

Solution: Use a Shape or Image + Tooltip Trick Instead of a Button

1. Create a DAX Measure

• EmailLink = "mailto:your.email@domain.com?subject=Power BI&body=Hello,"
• You can also include &cc=, &bcc=, and line breaks like %0A.

2. Insert a Shape Instead of a Button

• Go to Insert → Shape → Rectangle or choose Blank Button but Shapes are more reliable.
• Resize it to fit your desired area (e.g., place over your mail icon).

3. Make the Shape Invisible or Stylish

• Fill: Off
• Border: Off 
• You can keep it visible with text like "Send Email" or just an icon image underneath it.

4. Enable Action with URL

• In the Shape’s Format Pane
• Turn Action = On
• Set Type = Web URL
• Click the fx next to Web URL → select your EmailLink measure

Avoid:

• Using regular buttons with static Web URL text, they are buggy with mailto: and often ignored
• Trying this in Power BI Desktop only, it behaves better in the browser

If you found this solution helpful, please consider accepting it and giving it a kudos (Like) it’s greatly appreciated and helps others find the solution more easily.

Best Regards,
Nasif Azam