How to Fix “The Reset Function Can Only Be Used with a Resettable Control” in Power Apps

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I was building a bulk approval screen for an Expense Claims app. Managers check the claims they want in a gallery, pick an approver and a status at the top, and select Bulk Update. After the update, I wanted every check box to clear, so I added Reset(chk_Select) to the button.

Power Apps refused it with this error: “The Reset function can only be used with a resettable control. Controls within a Form or Gallery control can only be reset from within the same form or gallery template.” In this tutorial, I’ll explain what it means and four ways to fix it, including how to reset many fields at once.

Quick answer: You can’t call Reset() from outside a gallery or form on a control that’s inside it, and you can’t reset labels, buttons, variables or collections. To clear controls inside a gallery from a button outside it, set each control’s Reset property to a variable, such as varReset, and in the button run Set(varReset, true); Set(varReset, false). For forms, use ResetForm().

What the error means

Power Apps error that the Reset function can only be used with a resettable control

There are two different causes behind the same message:

  • The control is inside a gallery or form, and you call Reset from outside it. Each gallery row has its own copy of the control, so a button outside the gallery can’t tell which one to reset.
  • The thing you’re resetting can’t be reset. Only input controls have a default value to go back to. A label, button, image, variable or collection doesn’t.

These controls can be reset: Text input, Drop down, Combo box, Check box, Toggle, Radio, Slider, Rating, Date picker, List box, Timer, Audio, Video and Microphone. Each one goes back to its Default value.

Some controls have their own quirks when you reset them. See how to reset a Power Apps combo box and how to reset a Power Apps date picker.

Fix 1: Reset from inside the gallery or form

Microsoft’s documentation is clear: controls inside a gallery or form can be reset from formulas on controls in the same gallery or form. So a button placed inside the gallery template can reset that row’s check box:

Reset(chk_Select)

That’s fine for a per-row “Clear” button, but it doesn’t help when one button at the top must clear every row. For that, use Fix 2. If you’re new to the control, see how to use the Power Apps check box control.

Fix 2: Reset controls in a gallery from outside

Every resettable control also has a Reset property. When the value of that property changes to true, the control resets. Because a property can point to a variable, a button anywhere on the screen can trigger it.

  1. Select the check box inside the gallery (chk_Select) and set its Reset property to varReset.
  2. At the end of the Bulk Update button’s OnSelect, set the variable to true and straight back to false.

Here’s my full button formula. It updates the selected claims, shows a message and clears all the inputs:

ForAll(
    Filter(gal_EMPExpenseClaims.AllItems, chk_Select.Value = true),
    Patch('Expense Claims', LookUp('Expense Claims', ID = ThisRecord.ID), {Status: drp_status.Selected})
);
Notify("Bulk approval done!", NotificationType.Success);
Reset(txt_comment);
Reset(cmb_approver);
Reset(drp_status);
Set(varReset, true);
Set(varReset, false)

Setting the variable back to false is important. The control only resets when the value changes to true, so if you leave it true, the next click does nothing.

An older version of this post also changed the variable in the check box’s OnCheck and OnUncheck. Don’t do that: the variable is shared by every row, so ticking one claim can clear the others. There’s more on gallery check boxes in Power Apps checkbox in a gallery.

Fix 3: Reset a whole form

For an Edit form, don’t reset the controls one by one. ResetForm(frmExpense) puts every control back to its starting value, switches the form from New to Edit mode and runs the form’s OnReset. It has no effect when the form is in View mode. To validate before you reset, see Power Apps form field validation on submit.

Fix 4: Bind the value to your data

Another way is to stop resetting the control at all. Store the selection in your data, then clear the data. This is the method to use with the modern Checkbox, which doesn’t have a Reset property.

Load the claims into a collection with an extra IsSelected column, set the gallery’s Items to the collection, and set the check box’s Checked (modern) or Default (classic) to ThisItem.IsSelected. Then clear all the boxes with:

UpdateIf(colExpenses, IsSelected, {IsSelected: false})

In the check box’s OnCheck and OnUncheck, update that row’s IsSelected with Patch. See Power Apps gallery Patch examples for the pattern.

Reset multiple fields at once

Outside a gallery or form, you can reset several controls in one formula, separated by semicolons:

Reset(txt_comment);
Reset(cmb_approver);
Reset(drp_status)

If you have many controls, set all their Reset properties to the same variable and toggle it once, as in Fix 2. Microsoft notes this can be the better choice when many controls need to be reset together. For radio buttons, see how to reset or deselect a radio button.

What about Reset(Gallery)?

You can call Reset() on a gallery, but it doesn’t clear the controls inside it. It scrolls back to the top and selects the default item, which is handy after a filter changes. See how to select the first item in a Power Apps gallery.

Troubleshooting

  • The error is on a label or button: those can’t be reset. Change the variable or field they display instead.
  • Nothing happens the second time: set the variable back to false right after setting it to true.
  • The check box resets but then turns back on: its Default points to data that’s still true. Clear the data, as in Fix 4.
  • You’re building bulk approvals: the full flow is in Power Apps bulk approvals using Power Automate.

These Power Apps tutorials go well with this one:

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can’t I reset a control inside a gallery in Power Apps?

Each row has its own copy of the control, so Reset only works from inside the same gallery. Use the Reset property with a variable instead. Microsoft explains both options in the Reset function reference.

How do I reset all the fields in a Power Apps form?

Use ResetForm(FormName). It resets every control in the form and runs the form’s OnReset formula.

Can I reset a variable or collection with Reset()?

No. Reset only works on input controls. Set a variable with Set() or clear a collection with Clear() instead.

Does the modern Checkbox have a Reset property?

No. Bind its Checked property to a variable or a column in a collection, and change that value to clear it.