Easy Tech TutsHow to Set Up Row Level Security in Power BI Easily 2026
By Impran M N
Building separate dashboard files for every region or client just to control data access wastes time and creates duplication risk. This guide shows how to use Power BI's Row-Level Security to build a single master report that filters data automatically based on who's logged in. You'll learn both static role-based filtering and the dynamic USERPRINCIPALNAME() approach for automatic per-user filtering.
01Open Manage Roles
Click the Modeling tab in the top toolbar and select Manage Roles to open the security configuration window.
02Create a new role
Click New, name your role clearly, such as East Region Access, and select the table you want to filter.
03Write your DAX filter
Use the Add Filter option or DAX Editor to write a condition, such as [Region] = "East", to isolate specific rows.
04Or use dynamic filtering
For automatic per-user filtering, set your table filter to equal the USERPRINCIPALNAME() function, which evaluates the recipient's login email.
05Test and publish
Use View As to simulate a specific role locally, then publish and assign live users or Entra security groups in the Security panel inside Power BI Service.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between static and dynamic RLS?
Static RLS uses fixed DAX conditions like a specific region name, while dynamic RLS uses USERPRINCIPALNAME() to automatically filter based on who's logged in.
Can I test RLS without publishing my report?
Yes, use the View As button next to Manage Roles inside Power BI Desktop to simulate a specific role locally.
How do I assign users to a role after publishing?
Open your semantic model's Security panel in Power BI Service, then map users or Microsoft Entra security groups to your defined roles.
Does RLS work across related tables?
Yes, the evaluation engine applies row-level filtration across active table relationships, so filtering one table can cascade to related data.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
