Easy Tech TutsHow to Use Icons With Buttons in Power BI (Custom Navigation) Easily 2026
By Impran M N
Plain text buttons work, but icons make navigation in a Power BI report feel more intuitive and visually engaging at a glance. This guide shows how to combine icons with buttons to build custom navigation for your dashboards. It's a simple design upgrade that helps users find their way around larger reports faster.
01Add icons to your buttons
Select an existing button or insert a new one, then apply an icon that visually represents its destination or function.
02Customize button navigation
Set the button's action to navigate to the relevant page or bookmark so it functions as a working navigation element.
03Design for use cases in your dashboard
Think through which pages or metrics benefit most from icon-based navigation, such as a sales dashboard with quick links to key views.
04Automate and integrate navigation
Where relevant, tie navigation buttons into your broader reporting workflow so users move smoothly between related reports or pages.
05Test the navigation experience
Click through your icon-button navigation as a viewer would to confirm it's intuitive and every button leads where expected.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use any image as an icon on a Power BI button?
Yes, Power BI buttons support custom icons and images, giving you flexibility in how navigation elements look.
Do icon buttons work the same as bookmark navigation?
Icon buttons can be linked to bookmarks or page navigation, so they work as a visual layer on top of the same underlying navigation features.
Why use icons instead of just text buttons?
Icons can be recognized faster than text, making navigation feel more intuitive, especially in dashboards with many sections.
Is this navigation style suitable for beginners to set up?
Yes, it builds on standard button features in Power BI, so beginners can follow the same setup steps as with text-only buttons.
Can icon buttons be used to jump between different reports?
Within a single report, icon buttons typically navigate between pages or bookmarks rather than separate report files.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
