Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

July 7 - July 17 | Round 2 of the Power BI Dataviz World Championships. Don't miss your chance! Learn more

Reply
SwiatLudzieTy
Helper I
Helper I

Direct Query: Do not render visual until approved

Hello,

 

I hope Desktop section is the correct one to post.

 

I have a dataset based on quite large view. I keep it in Direct Query as Import mode would probably blow off my PC.

 

Standard behaviour of Power BI Desktop/Service report creator is to instantly render visualisation after changing it (example: adding a column). Is there any way to change it? I would like to first create the visual: add all columns etc. and after that hit some kind of "apply" button, so then Desktop/Gateway will go to the source.

 

I know I can use "apply" button for slicers and filters. I want to know if I can use it for every visuals.

 

Thanks! Kamil

2 REPLIES 2
Adamboer
Responsive Resident
Responsive Resident

Yes, you can change the default behavior of Power BI Desktop/Service to prevent it from instantly rendering visualizations after changing them.

To do this, you can go to the "File" menu in Power BI Desktop, click on "Options and settings", and then choose "Options". In the "Current File" section, you should see an option called "Auto date/time/timezone". If this option is checked, it can cause Power BI to automatically update visualizations as soon as changes are made. To disable this behavior, uncheck the "Auto date/time/timezone" option.

Once you have disabled this option, you can make changes to your visualizations (e.g., add columns) without Power BI automatically rendering the results. When you're ready to update the visualizations with the new changes, you can hit the "Apply" button that you mentioned. This will refresh the visualizations with the latest data from your Direct Query source.

Thanks @Adamboer, I have tried your solution, but still the visuals render automatically. Can you please share some screenshot how the final solutions looks like? Where the apply button is located? Thanks! Kamil

Helpful resources

Announcements
FabCon and SQLCon Barcelona 2026

FabCon & SQLCon – Barcelona 2026

Join us in Barcelona for FabCon and SQLCon, the Fabric, Power BI, SQL, and AI community event. Save €200 with code FABCMTY200.

60 days of Data Days Carousel

Data Days 2026

Join Data Days 2026: 60 days of free live/on-demand sessions, challenges, study groups, and certification opportunities.

Power BI DataViz World Championships carousel

Power BI DataViz World Championships - June 2026

A new Power BI DataViz World Championship is coming this June! Don't miss out on submitting your entry.

Top Solution Authors