“Clear all slicers” in Power BI

The “Clear all slicers” feature/button in Power BI allows report users to quickly reset every slicer on the current report page back to its default state. Rather than clearing each slicer individually, users can restore the page’s original filter selections with a single click.

This feature is particularly valuable for interactive reports that contain many slicers, helping users start a new analysis without manually removing multiple filters one-by-one.

Why Use the “Clear all slicers” Button?

As reports become more interactive, it’s common to have numerous slicers controlling different aspects of the data. After applying several filters, users may want to return to the report’s default view.

The Clear all slicers button provides several benefits:

Saves time by resetting all slicers simultaneously.
Improves the user experience on reports with many filters.
Allows users to quickly begin a new analysis.
Reduces confusion caused by forgotten slicer selections.
Creates a more intuitive and professional report interface.

For example, a sales dashboard might include slicers for:

Year
Quarter
Region
Salesperson
Product Category
Customer Segment

Instead of clearing six slicers individually, users simply click Clear all slicers to restore the default selections.

When Should You Use It?

The Clear all slicers feature is most useful when:

A report contains several slicers.
Users frequently change filter combinations.
Reports are used for exploratory data analysis.
Business users need an easy way to reset the report.
You want to provide a cleaner and more user-friendly experience.

For simple reports with only one or two slicers, the feature may not provide much additional value.

How the Feature Works

When a user selects Clear all slicers, Power BI resets every slicer on the current page to its default state. Depending on how the report was designed, this may mean:

Returning to “All” values.
Returning to predefined default selections.
Removing user-applied filter selections.

Only slicers on the current report page are affected.

How to Implement the “Clear all slicers” Button

Implementation is straightforward.

Step 1: Configure the Default Slicer Selections

Before adding the button:

Place all required slicers on the report page.
Configure each slicer to the desired default value.
Save the report with these default selections.

These become the state that users return to when clearing slicers.

Step 2: Insert the Button

Select Insert from the ribbon.
Choose Buttons.
Select Clear all slicers.

Power BI automatically inserts a button configured for this purpose.

Step 3: Position and Format the Button

Customize the button by:

Changing the text
Adding an icon
Applying theme colors
Adjusting borders and shadows
Positioning it near the slicers for easy access

Many report designers place it above or beside the slicer panel so users can easily find it.

Step 4: Test the Report

After publishing or previewing the report:

Change several slicer selections.
Click Clear all slicers.
Verify that every slicer returns to its default state.

Best Practices

To maximize usability:

Place the button close to the slicers.
Label it clearly (for example, Clear Filters or Reset Filters).
Use consistent styling throughout the report.
Establish meaningful default slicer values before publishing.
Test the feature after adding or modifying slicers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Some common implementation issues include:

Forgetting to set the desired default slicer selections before publishing.
Hiding the button where users cannot easily find it.
Assuming the button affects slicers on other report pages.
Expecting it to reset filters that are not implemented as slicers (such as page-level, report-level, or visual-level filters).

Best Used Alongside the Apply All Slicers Feature

The Clear all slicers button works especially well when paired with the Apply all slicers feature. Together they provide users with complete control over filtering:

Apply all slicers lets users make multiple filter changes before refreshing the report.
Clear all slicers lets users instantly return to the default filter state.

This combination creates a smoother, more efficient experience for reports with numerous filters, especially when working with large datasets or DirectQuery models where reducing unnecessary visual refreshes can improve performance.

Summary

The Clear all slicers feature is a simple but valuable enhancement for Power BI reports. By allowing users to reset all slicers with a single click, it improves usability, encourages exploration, and helps users quickly return to a known starting point. When combined with thoughtful default slicer settings and the Apply all slicers feature, it contributes to a cleaner, faster, and more user-friendly reporting experience.

Thanks for reading!