Choosing the right setting

If you’ve ever created a Power BI report, you’ve likely wondered which page view setting to use. Or maybe you’ve published a report only to find it looked too small or stretched so far that key information was hard to see. Power BI doesn’t have the flexibility of CSS grid or flexbox, so getting the layout right requires careful consideration of how the canvas will be viewed.

Choosing the right canvas view setting is crucial because it impacts how users interact with your report. For example, a report viewed on a wide-screen display might look zoomed in with only the title visible, while the same report on a laptop could appear too compact. These issues can frustrate users and hinder their ability to engage with your content. Understanding the common screen sizes your audience uses and educating them on how to adjust view settings—like zooming in or switching modes—ensures a better experience. In this post, we’ll explore how to choose the right canvas view and optimize your report for seamless viewing across devices.

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Page view options

Let's understand what options we have and when to use each one.

1. Fit to width

Fit to Width stretches your canvas to the width of the browser. This setting is ideal for reports that are long vertically, allowing users to scroll down to view content. However, on very wide monitors, content may appear too stretched, affecting readability.

2. Actual size

The “Actual Size” setting in Power BI displays your report at 100% zoom, maintaining the exact pixel dimensions as designed. This view is ideal when you want to present content at a specific, unaltered scale, making it especially useful for reports meant to be viewed on a particular screen size or resolution.

However, while “Actual Size” ensures design consistency, it doesn’t adjust for different screen sizes or resolutions. If a user views the report on a smaller screen or at a lower resolution, they may need to scroll to see the entire report. Conversely, on larger screens, the report could appear too compact or centered in a small section of the display. This setting works best for scenarios where you know the primary device your audience will use, or when precise element sizing is crucial.

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3. Fit to page

The “Fit to Page” setting scales your entire report to fit within the viewer’s browser screen, adjusting the report layout so all content is visible without scrolling. This option is especially useful when sharing reports with audiences using a range of screen sizes, as it adapts the view to make the full report accessible on any display.

It's a safe choice if you know that your audiences viewing device is similar or slightly larger than your dashboard dimensions.

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