So you’ve built an amazing Power BI dashboard and now you want to share it with the world – or at least with people who don’t have Power BI licenses. Maybe it’s a COVID tracking dashboard, election results, sports analytics, or company performance metrics for stakeholders.
The good news? There are several ways to make your own public dashboard. The tricky part? Each method has different limitations, costs, and security considerations. Let me break it all down for you.
Understanding “public” in the Power BI context
When we say “public,” we might mean different things:
- Truly public: Anyone on the internet can view it (like a website)
- External sharing: People outside your organization can view it (but need a link)
- No login required: Viewers don’t need Power BI accounts
- Embedded: Dashboard appears on your website or app
Let’s explore each option and when to use them.
Method 1: Publish to Web (truly public)
This is the closest thing to making your dashboard completely public, like posting it on a website where anyone can see it.
How to publish to the web:
Step 1: Open your report in Power BI Service
- Go to powerbi.com and open the report you want to make public
- Make sure you’re the owner of the report
Step 2: Click “Publish to web.”
- In the File menu, select “Publish to web.”
- You’ll see a warning about making data publicly accessible – read it carefully!
Step 3: Create embed code
- Click “Create embed code.”
- Power BI generates an HTML iframe code
- Copy this code – you’ll need it
Step 4: Use the embed code
- Paste the code into any website, blog, or HTML page
- Your dashboard will appear as an interactive element
- No login required for viewers
Publish to web pros and cons:
Pros:
- Completely free
- No viewer licenses needed
- Works on any website
- Fully interactive for viewers
- Easy to implement
Cons:
- Data is completely public (anyone can find it)
- No access control whatsoever
- Data refresh limitations
- Some visuals might not work
- Can’t use with sensitive data
When to use publish to web:
- Public data that you want everyone to see
- Marketing dashboards
- Open data initiatives
- Educational content
- Community analytics projects
Method 2: Secure embed (controlled sharing)
This gives you more control over who can access your dashboard while still allowing external sharing.
How to set up secure embed:
Step 1: Enable external sharing
- In Power BI Service, go to your workspace settings
- Enable “Allow external users to edit content in this workspace.”
- Your admin might need to enable this organization-wide first
Step 2: Share with specific people
- Click “Share” on your dashboard
- Enter the email addresses of the people you want to give access to
- They’ll receive an invitation email
Step 3: Set permissions
- Choose whether they can view only or also edit
- Set expiration dates if needed
- Control whether they can share further
Secure embed pros and cons:
Pros:
- Control over who has access
- Can set expiration dates
- More secure than publishing to the web
- Still works for external users
Cons:
- Viewers need Microsoft accounts
- More complex setup
- Potential licensing costs
- Admin permissions required
Method 3: Power BI Embedded (for developers)
This is for embedding dashboards into your own applications or websites with full control.
How Power BI Embedded works:
Step 1: Set up Azure Power BI Embedded
- Create a Power BI Embedded resource in Azure
- This requires an Azure subscription
- Choose your pricing tier
Step 2: Configure authentication
- Set up service principal authentication
- Register your application in Azure AD
- Configure API permissions
Step 3: Embed in your application
- Use Power BI REST APIs
- Implement authentication tokens
- Embed using JavaScript SDK
Power BI Embedded pros and cons:
Pros:
- Full control over user experience
- Can integrate with your authentication
- Scalable for many users
- White-label solutions possible
- Advanced customization options
Cons:
- Requires development skills
- Azure subscription needed
- Complex setup process
- Ongoing costs based on usage
- Maintenance overhead
Method 4: Anonymous access (limited scenarios)
In some specific cases, you can set up anonymous access through organizational settings.
How anonymous access works:
Requirements:
- Power BI Premium capacity
- Admin must enable anonymous access
- Specific workspace configuration
- Usually for internal company scenarios
Setup process:
- Admin enables anonymous access in the tenant settings
- Workspace must be in Premium capacity
- Configure anonymous access for specific reports
- Share URLs that don’t require a login
When to consider anonymous access:
- Internal company dashboards for all employees
- Kiosk displays or public screens
- Conference or event displays
- Lobby or reception area dashboards
Comparison table: Which method to choose?
| Method | Cost | Setup Complexity | Security | Viewer Requirements |
| Publish to Web | Free | Very Easy | None | None |
| Secure Embed | Pro licenses | Medium | Good | Microsoft account |
| Power BI Embedded | Pay per use | Hard | Excellent | Custom |
| Anonymous Access | Premium needed | Medium | Limited | None |
Data security considerations (super important!)
Before making any public dashboard, ask yourself:
Is this data truly safe to share publicly?
- No personal information (names, emails, addresses)
- No confidential business data
- No competitively sensitive information
- Nothing that could be misused
Data anonymization checklist:
- Remove or mask personal identifiers
- Aggregate data to prevent individual identification
- Remove sensitive business metrics
- Consider what conclusions others might draw
Compliance considerations:
- GDPR requirements for EU data
- Local privacy laws in your country
- Company data governance policies
- Industry-specific regulations
Step-by-step: Publishing your first public dashboard
Let’s walk through the most common scenario – using “Publish to web”:
Step 1: Prepare your data
- Remove any sensitive information
- Make sure all data is appropriate for public viewing
- Test all visuals and interactions
Step 2: Clean up your report
- Remove any personal references
- Add clear titles and descriptions
- Ensure charts are easy to understand
- Test on different screen sizes
Step 3: Publish to Power BI Service
- Upload your .pbix file to Power BI Service
- Set up any necessary data refresh schedules
- Test that everything works online
Step 4: Use “Publish to web”
- Click File > Publish to web
- Read and understand the warnings
- Generate embed code
- Test the embed code on a simple HTML page
Step 5: Deploy to your website
- Add the embed code to your website
- Test on different devices and browsers
- Monitor for any issues
Best practices for public dashboards
Design for public consumption:
- Clear titles: Make sure everything is self-explanatory
- Simple navigation: Don’t assume users know Power BI
- Mobile-friendly: Many people will view it on phones
- Fast loading: Optimize for performance
Data refresh strategy:
- Automate when possible: Set up a scheduled refresh
- Monitor refresh failures: Get alerts when data doesn’t update
- Consider refresh frequency: Balance freshness with performance
- Handle data source issues: Plan for when sources are unavailable
User experience tips:
- Add instructions: Brief text explaining how to interact
- Default to useful view: Don’t make users figure out filters
- Test with real users: Get feedback from people outside your team
- Monitor usage: Use analytics to see how people interact
Common issues and solutions
Problem: “Publish to web” option is grayed out.
Solution: Your admin has disabled this feature. You’ll need to request it be enabled or use a different method.
Problem: Dashboard loads slowly for public users.
Solution: Optimize your data model, reduce the number of visuals on one page, or consider aggregating data.
Problem: Some visuals don’t work in embedded view.
Solution: Custom visuals and some advanced features don’t work in public embed. Test thoroughly and use standard visuals when possible.
Problem: The Data isn’t refreshing.
Solution: Check your data source connections and refresh schedule in Power BI Service.
Legal and ethical considerations
Terms of service: Make sure your use case complies with Power BI’s terms of service for public publishing.
Data ownership: Ensure you have the right to publish all data publicly.
Attribution: Consider adding data source attribution and disclaimers.
Privacy policy: If collecting any user interaction data, you might need privacy disclosures.
Monitoring your public dashboard
Usage analytics: Power BI provides some analytics on how your public dashboard is being used.
Performance monitoring: Keep an eye on load times and user experience.
Data quality: Regularly check that your public data is accurate and up-to-date.
Security monitoring: Watch for any unexpected usage patterns or potential abuse.
Alternative approaches
Static exports: Sometimes, a simple PDF or image export shared on social media is more appropriate than an interactive dashboard.
Third-party tools: Tools like Tableau Public offer different approaches to public data sharing.
Custom websites: Building a simple website with charts might be easier for very specific use cases.
Real-world examples of public dashboards
Government transparency: Many government agencies use public dashboards for budget data, election results, or public health metrics.
Sports analytics: Fan-created dashboards tracking team performance, player statistics, or league standings.
Business reporting: Companies sharing high-level performance metrics with stakeholders who don’t have Power BI licenses.
Research and education: Academic institutions sharing research data or educational content.
In Nepal’s growing data community, organizations like NEST Nepal often showcase public dashboards as examples of how data visualization can serve the broader community. Whether it’s tracking development metrics, educational outcomes, or economic indicators, public dashboards can be powerful tools for transparency and engagement.
Getting started today
If you’re just experimenting, start with “Publish to web” using completely non-sensitive sample data.
If you need some security, try secure embedding with a small group of external users first.
If you’re building an application, consider Power BI Embedded, but plan for the development complexity.
If you’re not sure, create a simple test dashboard with fake data and try different methods to see what works for your use case.
Final thoughts
Making Power BI public dashboards opens up amazing possibilities for sharing insights and engaging with broader audiences. But with great power comes great responsibility – especially around data security and privacy.
Start simple, test thoroughly, and always err on the side of caution when it comes to data sensitivity. The goal is to share insights that help people make better decisions, not to accidentally expose information that should stay private.
Once you get the hang of it, public dashboards can be incredibly rewarding. There’s something special about creating a visualization that helps people understand important trends or data in their community, industry, or area of interest.
Just remember – every public dashboard reflects on you and your organization, so make it count!
