BUG: "Formatting options are unavailable for this visual"

[jaykayelsemicol]

In Power BI Desktop I am running into an issue where I cannot format visualizations that are part of a group. When selecting the visualization in the group and navigating to the Format visual tab, no options are available and it says "Formatting options are unavailable for this visual". The only workaround is to ungroup the visualization, make formating changes, then re-group it with the other visualizations. This has been happening for the past week or two. Sometimes it will let me format visualizations in a group, but most of the time it shows the message below. 

[Roseventura]

I too am having this issue and sometimes it has nothing to do with objects being grouped.  I see this for single objects when trying to format them.  It seems to be random.

Please fix!

[JakubRojek]

is there any way for an admin or microsoft employee to see this topic? a silly mistake that makes life very difficult...

[RoSch]

Hi,

I have encountered the problem as well and to reproduce it, I think you should:

Create a visual (in my case was buttons with bookmarks link)

Create bookmark with the visual hidden (Bookmark Hidden) that applies only to the selected visual

Create bookmark with the visual made visibile (Bookmark Visible) that applies only to the selected visual

Go from Boomark Hidden to Bookmark Visible

Select the visual and you will have the bug showing.

I managed to work around it by making the object (in my case was a group) hidden and then visible again from the Selection Pane.

It is very annoying and I am looking forward to seeing it fixed.

[Mike250Amused]

Confirming the hiding/unhiding selection works for a bit. Certainly better than closing and re-opening the PBIX.

We've noticed this annoying formatting behaviour happens on the most recent two Power BI releases, and with the object interaction turned on or off. 

[FritzVPL]

Still get this bug every single day. Has anyone worked with support and found a solution? Can we get an update from Microsoft? This is not a minor bug and has been in the product for over half a year.

[Petsnell]

Still an issue...

[gagan__]

Same issue. Let me know if anyone have got a solution. It is a BUG!!!!!

[HavenerTed]

I think it may have something to do with a bookmark being selected while you are trying to format the visual. From what I can see though, if you select a bookmark there is no easy way to deselect the bookmark so you can then edit the visual. So I would still qualify this as a bug. If you are trying to edit a visual and you still get this message then I am sorry I do not know the answer. This is just from personal experience. @RoSch  I believe you are speaking to something similar.

[RoSch]

@HavenerTed Yes, I believe it has to do with the bookmark being selected rather than the state of the visual objects themselves.

[rbartles111213]

Adding an update as it is now 9/21/2023 and the only solution that works for me is to open the selections pane, click the visual, hide, unhide... then I can edit\update the properties, etc.