Images from SQL Server Not Displaying in Power BI

[fer123]

In Power BI, I can't get images from SQL Server to display using URLs. I've tried both HTTP and HTTPS URLs, but it hasn't worked. I also converted the images to Base64 format, but that didn't solve the issue either. Some forums suggest that I might need to configure an additional security protocol to display the images, especially since they are private. Does anyone have another solution or idea that might help me fix this problem?

[VahidDM · Accepted solution]

Hi @fer123 

Power BI cannot display images from URLs that require authentication or are not publicly accessible. To resolve this issue:

1. Ensure Public Accessibility:
• Host your images on a web server where they can be accessed via public URLs without authentication.
• Confirm that the URLs use HTTPS, as Power BI Service may block HTTP URLs for security reasons.
2. Set the Correct Data Category:
• In Power BI Desktop, go to the Data view.
• Select the column containing your image URLs or Base64 strings.
• In the ribbon, set the Data Category to Image URL.
3. Use Base64 Encoding Properly:
• If using Base64, ensure the strings are correctly formatted.
• Prepend the string with data:image/png;base64, (or the appropriate image type).
4. Display Images in Visuals:
• Use a Table or Matrix visual to display the images.
• Add the image column to the Values area.
5. Adjust Power BI Settings:
• Go to File > Options and Settings > Options > Security.
• Enable "Allow data previews to download in the background".
6. Alternative Storage Options:
• Consider storing images in Azure Blob Storage or SharePoint with anonymous read access.
7. Check for Firewall or Network Restrictions:
• Ensure there are no network policies blocking Power BI from accessing the image URLs.
8. Use Power BI Paginated Reports:
• For advanced image handling, paginated reports support embedding images directly from databases.

By hosting images on a publicly accessible server and ensuring the correct data configurations in Power BI, your images should display correctly.

If this post helps, please consider accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

Appreciate your Kudos!! 

LinkedIn|Twitter|Blog |YouTube