Azure Maps Control -> Selection Greyed out

Question

Azure Maps Control -> Selection Greyed out

Jarrad McKay 0

User's image

Unable to use the PowerBI Azure Mans "selection" Feature. Any tips to get this fixed or is it just broken?

VSawhney 1,290 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-13T17:07:50.4333333+00:00
Hello Jarrad McKay,

It looks like you're having trouble using the Selection feature in the Azure Maps Power BI visual. Here are a few things you can check to resolve this issue:

Map Style

Some map styles (like satellite) don’t support selection. Switch to a supported style such as road, grayscale dark, or high contrast light.

Data Roles & Availability

Ensure your fields are categorized correctly as Latitude, Longitude, or Location. If there’s no valid data to select, the option will remain greyed out.

Formatting Pane

Go to the Formatting pane → Controls and check the Selection toggle. If it’s greyed out, it usually means the current visual configuration or data setup doesn’t support selection.

Interactions & Permissions

Use Edit interactions in Power BI to confirm the map visual allows cross-filtering or highlighting.
Check report permissions—restrictions can disable interactive features.

Custom Layers or Aggregation

If you’ve added reference layers, custom tiles, or are using aggregated data, selection is disabled by design. Remove these to enable the feature.

Update Power BI

Make sure you’re on the latest version of Power BI Desktop. Older builds had bugs where Selection stayed disabled even when supported.

Hope this helps!
Thank you!
VSawhney 1,290 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-14T16:58:36.7533333+00:00

Hello Jarrad McKay,

Following up to see if the above response was helpful.

Thank you!
Jarrad McKay 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T20:30:52+00:00

Hello,

I appreciate the response. Unfortunately all of the recommended changes do not allow me to toggle the "Selection" control - it remains entirely greyed out! Even building a Azure Map with entirely new data does not enable this selection toggle. It appears to be an issue with the visual itself as opposed to the data or PBI settings. I have the current, updated version. Really unfortunate since they're forcing this from the old map visual without the same capabilities.
IoTGirl 3,811 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2025-10-16T21:31:58.5733333+00:00

Hi @Jarrad McKay ,

Can you please provide a link to your Power BI Forums' question so we can escalate it with that team? The dialog you are asking about is NOT part of Azure Maps
Jarrad McKay 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T21:40:27.7166667+00:00

Hi @IoTGirl ,

This was posted here: https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Issues/Azure-Maps-Controls-gt-Selection-Greyed-out/idi-p/4850055 without response. Would love to see it addressed.

This is specifically a function of the Azure Maps visual in PBI - or lack of function.

4 answers

Your answer

VSawhney 1,290 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-13T17:07:50.4333333+00:00

Hello Jarrad McKay,

It looks like you're having trouble using the Selection feature in the Azure Maps Power BI visual. Here are a few things you can check to resolve this issue:

Map Style

Some map styles (like satellite) don’t support selection. Switch to a supported style such as road, grayscale dark, or high contrast light.

Data Roles & Availability

Ensure your fields are categorized correctly as Latitude, Longitude, or Location. If there’s no valid data to select, the option will remain greyed out.

Formatting Pane

Go to the Formatting pane → Controls and check the Selection toggle. If it’s greyed out, it usually means the current visual configuration or data setup doesn’t support selection.

Interactions & Permissions

Use Edit interactions in Power BI to confirm the map visual allows cross-filtering or highlighting.
Check report permissions—restrictions can disable interactive features.

Custom Layers or Aggregation

If you’ve added reference layers, custom tiles, or are using aggregated data, selection is disabled by design. Remove these to enable the feature.

Update Power BI

Make sure you’re on the latest version of Power BI Desktop. Older builds had bugs where Selection stayed disabled even when supported.

Hope this helps!
Thank you!
VSawhney 1,290 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-08-14T16:58:36.7533333+00:00

Hello Jarrad McKay,

Following up to see if the above response was helpful.

Thank you!
Jarrad McKay 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T20:30:52+00:00

Hello,

I appreciate the response. Unfortunately all of the recommended changes do not allow me to toggle the "Selection" control - it remains entirely greyed out! Even building a Azure Map with entirely new data does not enable this selection toggle. It appears to be an issue with the visual itself as opposed to the data or PBI settings. I have the current, updated version. Really unfortunate since they're forcing this from the old map visual without the same capabilities.
IoTGirl 3,811 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2025-10-16T21:31:58.5733333+00:00

Hi @Jarrad McKay ,

Can you please provide a link to your Power BI Forums' question so we can escalate it with that team? The dialog you are asking about is NOT part of Azure Maps
Jarrad McKay 0 Reputation points

2025-10-16T21:40:27.7166667+00:00

Hi @IoTGirl ,

This was posted here: https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Issues/Azure-Maps-Controls-gt-Selection-Greyed-out/idi-p/4850055 without response. Would love to see it addressed.

This is specifically a function of the Azure Maps visual in PBI - or lack of function.

Answer 1

Denise Chen 626 Microsoft Employee

Hi,

The Azure Maps visual uses a subprocessor service for its selection tool. Due to compliance requirements, you’ll need to enable the tenant setting “Allow Microsoft subprocessor to process data.”

This setting allows Azure Maps to process limited data through a Microsoft subprocessor. In the case of the selection tool, the only data sent is the pin dropped on the map, no business or customer data is transmitted.

For instructions on how to enable this tenant setting, please refer to the documentation

Jarrad McKay 0 Reputation points

2025-10-17T15:05:35.8866667+00:00

@Denise Chen - you are a hero. I'll spread the word in the other forms.

Some clarification to those who stumble on this post. I was using PBI desktop; HOWEVER, these settings need to be set in the PBI service tenant online at powerbi.com. This also means it is an ORG level setting requiring admin permissions.

Thanks!

Answer 2

rbrundritt 21,496 Microsoft Employee Moderator

Be sure you are using the latest version of Power BI as mentioned in this similar thread: https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/Azure-Map-Advanced-Selection-Controls-Missing/m-p/1957731

Answer 3

IoTGirl 3,811 Microsoft Employee Moderator

Hi @Jarrad McKay

Power BI is not supported within this forum. In fact, Power BI uses Azure Maps APIs in order to create their experience so we don't even have access to their code. Please ask Power BI Questions in their forums at https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Power-BI-forums/ct-p/powerbi and search for "Azure Maps" within that forum to find other questions related to that experience.

Sincerely,

IoTGirl

Azure Maps Team Member

Answer 4

These settings need to be done with admin permissions in the PBI online service, even when working with PBI desktop:

The Azure Maps visual uses a subprocessor service for its selection tool. Due to compliance requirements, you’ll need to enable the tenant setting “Allow Microsoft subprocessor to process data.” This setting allows Azure Maps to process limited data through a Microsoft subprocessor. In the case of the selection tool, the only data sent is the pin dropped on the map, no business or customer data is transmitted. For instructions on how to enable this tenant setting, please refer to the documentation

Share via

Azure Maps Control -> Selection Greyed out

4 answers

Your answer