How to Securely Embed Power BI Reports on a Website
Question details
The user needs to securely embed a Power BI report into a website or portal while reliably restricting access to unauthorized visitors.
- Product
- Power BI
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Publishing a data visualization or report to a specific company website or portal domain securely.
- Observed behavior
- The standard 'Publish to web' feature generates a public link accessible to anyone, failing to restrict access to a specific organization or website domain.
Verify your current Power BI licensing (Pro, Premium, or Report Server) and ensure you have administrative access to edit your website's HTML code.
Use Secure Embedding with Authentication
The most reliable method to restrict report access is using the secure embed option, which requires viewers to authenticate.
This method ensures that only authorized users with appropriate permissions can view the embedded report. It avoids the severe data exposure risks associated with public 'Publish to web' links.
Navigate to the Power BI service online and open the specific report you want to embed.
Go to the 'File' menu, select 'Embed report', and click on 'Website or portal'.
A dialog box will appear. Copy the provided iframe code or link.
Paste the iframe code into your website's HTML. Viewers will be prompted to sign in with their Microsoft credentials to view the report.
Host on Power BI Report Server (On-Premises)
Best for organizations needing to host reports on their own infrastructure without requiring individual cloud licenses for viewers.
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- 1. Download the software: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why shouldn't I use 'Publish to web' for internal company reports?
The 'Publish to web' feature generates a public, unauthenticated link. Anyone who obtains this link can view and share your report, meaning your confidential data is exposed to the public internet and cannot be restricted to your specific domain.
Can external users view my embedded Power BI report without a license?
If you use the cloud-based Power BI service, viewers typically need a license unless the workspace is backed by a Power BI Premium capacity. Alternatively, using the on-premises Power BI Report Server allows viewers to access reports without individual cloud licenses.
How do I restrict a Power BI report to only my website's domain?
Power BI does not natively restrict access by website domain through 'Publish to web'. You must use the 'Embed report > Website or portal' option, which relies on user Microsoft authentication and permissions to secure the report regardless of where the iframe is placed.
