How to unhide a report in Reporting Services?

Issue

You’ve hidden reports in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and now want to

1. Unhide those reports, and
2. Find a better way to deactivate reports without deleting them.

Resolution

A. To Unhide a Report in SSRS Web Portal

1. Open your SSRS web portal (Report Manager).
2. Navigate to the folder containing the report.
3. On the top-right corner, select “Show Hidden Items” — hidden reports will now appear dimmed or greyed out.
4. Locate the desired report → select the ellipsis (…) → choose Manage.
5. Under the General tab, uncheck:
   1. “Hide in tile view”
   2. “Hide in list view”
6. Click Apply → the report will now be visible to users.

🧩 Applies to SQL Server Reporting Services 2016, 2017, 2019, and later.

B. If You’re Using Report Builder / Visual Studio

1. Open the project in Visual Studio or Report Builder.
2. In Solution Explorer, right-click the report → Properties.
3. Locate Hidden = True → set it to False.
4. Save and redeploy the project to publish changes.

Alternative: Better Ways to “Deactivate” Reports

Instead of hiding or deleting reports, Microsoft recommends maintaining clear administrative control through folder management or security configuration.

Option 1: Move Reports to an Archive Folder

• Create a folder such as _Archive or _Inactive Reports.
• Move deprecated reports there.
• Maintain original permissions for administrators only.

🟢 Recommended for audit/compliance traceability.

Option 2: Restrict Access via Security Settings

• In the SSRS portal → go to Manage → Security.
• Remove Viewer access for end users.
• Keep only Content Manager or Administrator roles.

This keeps the report intact and easily recoverable later.

Option 3: Append Status Tag

• Rename the report to include a status marker such as
  1. Sales_Report_(Inactive)
  2. Project_Metrics_(Deprecated)

Helps users visually distinguish between active and archived reports.

Optional (Automation Tip)

For larger environments, you can automate archiving or hiding/unhiding using PowerShell scripts and the ReportServer web service (/ReportService2010.asmx).

Reference: Manage Items Using the Web Service and PowerShell

References

• Microsoft Docs – Manage Items in a Report Server
• Microsoft Docs – Security and Permissions in Reporting Services
• Microsoft Docs – Reporting Services Web Portal

Summary

Hiding is a display property only; the report remains fully functional and accessible by URL. For compliance or lifecycle management, prefer folder-based archiving or permission restriction.

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