Enable “lock‑on” behavior for Format Painter in Power BI

[jgreene23]

Current Behavior:

In Power BI Desktop, the Format Painter only applies formatting to one visual per click. After clicking the Format Painter and selecting a target visual, the tool deactivates automatically. If you want to apply the same format to another visual, you must re-click the Format Painter each time.

---

Expected Behavior (from other Microsoft tools):

In Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, double-clicking the Format Painter enables a persistent mode. This allows users to apply formatting to multiple targets consecutively until they press Esc or deactivate the tool.

---

Why This Matters:

• Efficiency: Having to re-click the Format Painter for each visual increases the time it takes to apply consistent formatting.

• Consistency: More clicks = more room for inconsistency across visuals.

• Familiarity: Power BI is part of the Microsoft ecosystem. Users expect consistent behavior across applications.

---

Proposed Enhancement

Update the Format Painter functionality in Power BI Desktop to match the behavior found in Excel and Word:

• Single click = format one visual

• Double-click = enable persistent mode

• Press Esc or click again = exit persistent mode

This behavior would make formatting multiple visuals faster, smoother, and more intuitive.

---

Benefits:

Impact AreaImprovement

Time-saving	Format many visuals without re-clicking each time
Usability	Aligns with user expectations across Microsoft Office tools
Consistency	Reduces the chance of visual inconsistencies in reports
Accessibility	Especially helpful for large reports with many visuals

---

Please consider adding this enhancement to Power BI Desktop. It's a small change with a big impact—improving speed, consistency, and user experience for report creators.