How to Import Visuals in Power BI

Power BI’s standard visuals are workhorses for daily reporting, but sometimes they just don't have the specific chart or custom functionality you need. To build truly insightful and impactful dashboards, you often need to look beyond the default options. This guide will show you exactly how to import custom visuals into Power BI, both from Microsoft's official marketplace and from an individual file.

Why Look Beyond Power BI's Standard Visuals?

Venturing into custom visuals isn't about making your reports look flashy for the sake of it, it's about unlocking deeper analytical capabilities and telling a more compelling data story. Default charts like bar, line, and pie charts cover the basics, but custom visuals can provide new ways to see your data.

Access Niche Chart Types: Need a Gantt chart for project management, an animated bar chart race to show changes over time, or a word cloud to analyze text data? Custom visuals are your answer.
Industry-Specific Tools: Many custom visuals are built for specific industries, offering pre-configured KPIs and diagrams that would take hours to build from scratch. Think funnel charts for sales or process control charts for manufacturing.
Advanced Filtering and Slicing: Some visuals, like the Timeline Slicer, offer a far more intuitive user experience for filtering dates than the default options. These can significantly improve the usability of your dashboard for end-users.
Improved Customization and Branding: Custom visuals often come with a wider array of formatting options, giving you more precise control over colors, labels, and layouts to perfectly match your company's branding.

How to Import Visuals from Microsoft AppSource

The safest and most straightforward way to add new visuals is through Microsoft's official marketplace, AppSource. Think of it as an app store for your Power BI reports. Microsoft vets these visuals, and many are "certified," meaning they meet higher standards for security, performance, and functionality.

Step-by-Step: Importing from AppSource

Here’s the process for grabbing a new visual directly from within Power BI Desktop.

Open Power BI Desktop: Start by opening your existing report or creating a new one.
Locate the Visualizations Pane: On the right side of your screen, you'll see the Visualizations pane where all the default chart icons are located.
Click the Ellipses (...): Underneath the stack of default visual icons, you'll find an icon with three dots (...). Click this to open the options menu.
Select "Get more visuals": From the dropdown menu, choose this option. It will open a new window that displays the Power BI Visuals marketplace (AppSource).
Browse or Search for a Visual: You can browse visuals by category (e.g., "Filters," "KPIs," "Maps") or use the search bar at the top to find something specific. Let's say you're looking for a "Word Cloud." Just type it in and hit enter.
Add the Visual to Your Report: Once you find a visual you like, click on it to see more details, including reviews, the developer, and the last update date. If it fits your needs, click the blue "Add" button.
Confirmation: After a moment, a pop-up will confirm that the visual was successfully imported. You will now see its icon in your Visualizations pane, ready to be used just like any other chart.

Tips for Using AppSource

Look for the Certified Badge: A blue checkmark next to a visual indicates it's "Power BI Certified." This means it has passed rigorous testing by Microsoft and works with features like exporting to PowerPoint and PDF subscriptions. Whenever possible, prioritize certified visuals.
Read the Details: Pay attention to the publisher and the reviews. Visuals from established companies like Microsoft itself, MAQ Software, or OKViz are generally a safe bet.
Watch for "In-App Purchases": Some visuals follow a freemium model. The basic version is free, but you might need a license to unlock advanced features. This will usually be noted in the visual's description.

Importing a Custom Visual from a File (.pbiviz)

Sometimes you’ll find a custom visual online from a third-party developer, a colleague might share a proprietary visual with you, or you might develop one yourself. These visuals come in a .pbiviz file format. Importing from a file is easy, but it requires an extra degree of caution.

A quick word of warning: Only import .pbiviz files from sources you absolutely trust. A visual file can contain code, and a malicious file could pose a security risk. If you are ever unsure, stick to AppSource.

Step-by-Step: Importing from a .pbiviz File

Let’s say you’ve downloaded a trusted .pbiviz file to your computer. Here's how to add it:

Obtain the .pbiviz File: Make sure you have the file saved somewhere easily accessible, like your Downloads folder or Desktop.
Open Power BI and Navigate to Visuals: Just like before, find the Visualizations pane on the right-hand side.
Click the Ellipses (...) for Options: Again, click the three-dot icon to bring up the menu.
Select "Import a visual from a file": This option is listed right below "Get more visuals."
Heed the Warning: Power BI will display a warning dialog box, reminding you of the risks associated with importing custom files. If you trust the source of your file, click the "Import" button to continue.
Locate and Open Your File: A file explorer window will open. Navigate to where you saved your .pbiviz file, select it, and click "Open."
Done! The visual will be imported, and its icon will appear in your Visualizations pane, right alongside the others.

Common Challenges and Quick Fixes

Occasionally, you might hit a snag. Before you get frustrated, here are a few common issues and their solutions.

Problem: The "Get more visuals" or "Import from file" option is grayed out.

Solution: Your Power BI administrator has likely restricted their use. Many large organizations only allow pre-approved visuals to be used in reports. You'll need to contact your IT department or Power BI admin to request access or ask them to add a specific visual to your organization's approved repository.

Problem: My report is running slowly after adding a new visual.

Solution: Not all visuals are created equal. Some complex or poorly coded visuals can consume a lot of memory and slow down your report's performance, especially when handling large datasets. Limit the number of complex custom visuals on a single report page and, whenever possible, stick to certified visuals, which are performance-tested.

Problem: How do I know if my custom visual is up to date?

Solution: Custom visuals aren't updated automatically with Power BI Desktop releases. To check if a visual is outdated, you can see a small update icon next to it in the Visualizations pane. You'll have to basically "re-import" the updated version from AppSource to get the latest features and bug fixes.

Best Practices for Using Custom Visuals

Just because you can add dozens of visuals doesn't mean you should. A great dashboard prizes clarity over clutter.

Use Them Purposefully: Use a custom visual when it solves a problem the standard visuals can't. A Sankey diagram is perfect for showing flow, but it's a terrible replacement for a simple bar chart showing sales by region.
Test with Your Data: A visual might look great with sample data but break or become unreadable when you connect your own. Always test new visuals with your actual data model to make sure they work as expected.
Consider Your Audience: Is your audience technical enough to understand a box-and-whisker plot, or would a simple card visual showing the average be more effective? Tailor the complexity of your visuals to who will be using the report.

Final Thoughts

Mastering how to import visuals from AppSource and local files is a fantastic way to elevate your Power BI reports. By moving beyond the standard set of charts, you can create more tailored, insightful, and user-friendly dashboards that better answer an organization's most important questions.

Ultimately, the goal is always to get from raw data to clear insights as efficiently as possible. While tools like Power BI are incredibly powerful, they often come with a significant learning curve - spending hours searching for the right visual, formatting chart options, and wrangling data. We built Graphed to simplify this entire process. Instead of navigating menus and learning a complex interface, you can just connect your data sources and describe the dashboard you want in plain English, allowing you to create insightful reports in seconds, not hours.