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Tutorial: Ask questions with the Q&A virtual analyst in the Power BI iOS apps

The easiest way to learn about your data is to ask questions in your own words. In this tutorial, you use the Q&A virtual analyst in the Microsoft Power BI mobile app on your iPad or iPhone to ask questions and view featured insights about sample data.

Applies to:

iPhones iPads

The Q&A virtual analyst is a conversational BI experience that accesses Q&A data in the Power BI service. It suggests insights, and you can type or speak questions.

Screenshot of Q&A virtual analyst showing top sales insights results in the Power BI iOS app.

In this tutorial, you:

  • Install the Power BI mobile app for iOS
  • Download a Power BI sample dashboard and report
  • See what featured insights the mobile app suggests

Q&A virtual analyst

Use a conversational BI experience that suggests initial insights, lets you type or speak natural language questions, and returns visuals you can expand, annotate, or mark as favorite.

Key capabilities:

  • Inline suggestions for fields, measures, or keywords
  • Voice input for dictation
  • Iterative refinement (for example: "show sales" → "by item" → "as line chart")
  • Select and hold a result to expand it or take more actions

Ask questions

  1. Type “show sales”.
  2. Add “by item”.
  3. Add “as column chart” or select a chart icon.
  4. Select and hold the visual, then select Expand.

Use voice

  1. Select the Q&A virtual analyst icon.
  2. Select the microphone and say "average unit price by time."
  3. Select Send to show the answer.
  4. Select Clear text (X) to start a new question.

Help & feedback

  • Type "help" or "hi" for tips.
  • Select and hold a visual, then select positive or negative feedback to improve future responses (feedback is anonymous).

Improve results

Enhance synonyms, descriptions, and default aggregations to improve Q&A interpretation. Learn more in Make your data work well with Q&A and the Q&A virtual analyst.

Prerequisites

  • Sign up for Power BI: If you aren't signed up, sign up for a free trial.
  • Install the Power BI app for iOS: Download the iOS app from the Apple App Store to your iPad or iPhone.
  • Download sample data: Download the Opportunity Analysis Sample to your Power BI service account. See Install built-in samples for instructions. Select the Opportunity Analysis Sample.

After you complete the prerequisites and download the sample data, view the samples on your iOS device.

  1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Power BI app and sign in with the same Power BI credentials you use in the browser.

  2. On the home page, tap the Workspaces icon.

    Screenshot of Power BI iOS app showing the Workspaces icon selected to open My Workspace.

  3. In My Workspaces, select the Opportunity Analysis Sample dashboard.

  4. On the Opportunity Analysis Sample dashboard, tap the Q&A virtual analyst icon.

    Screenshot of Opportunity Analysis Sample dashboard with the Q&A virtual analyst icon highlighted.

    The Q&A virtual analyst offers some suggestions to get started.

    Screenshot of Q&A virtual analyst pane displaying suggested featured insights options.

  5. Tap featured insights. When suggestions appear, scroll right and tap Insight 2.

    Screenshot of featured insights carousel with Insight 2 card visible in Q&A virtual analyst.

    The Q&A virtual analyst displays Insight 2.

    Screenshot of Insight 2 visualization displayed after selecting featured insights suggestion.

  6. Tap the chart to open it in focus mode.

    Screenshot of selected Insight 2 chart opened in focus mode in the Power BI iOS app.

  7. Tap the Back arrow to return to the Q&A virtual analyst.

Clean up resources

After you finish the tutorial, delete the Opportunity Analysis sample dashboard, report, and semantic model. For instructions, see Clean up resources.

Try the Q&A virtual analyst in the Power BI iOS mobile app to explore sample insights, then learn more about Q&A in the Power BI service.