Rendering HTML Images in Paginated Reports

[mp1234]

I’ve been working on a solution for a reporting requirement and wanted to check if anyone has encountered a similar scenario or might have suggestions.

I’m querying data directly from a SQL Server database, where the data is stored as HTML (entered via a Rich Text Box). Here's the issue I’m facing:

• When using Power BI Desktop, the HTML renders correctly - including the images - and everything works fine publishing to the Power BI Service. However, due to the report's length, I need pagination.
• To address pagination, I turned to Power BI Report Builder, which handles pagination well after publishing. Unfortunately, like SSRS, Report Builder does not support the <img> tag within HTML, so the images do not render.

I'm trying to find a solution that allows both HTML rendering with images and pagination in a single report. Has anyone come across a way to achieve this, or found a workaround that supports both needs?

Also want to add, embedding the images into Report Builder is not an option as the report uses parameters so the images will change depending on the reference filtered by the user.

Many thanks

[BhavinVyas3003 · Accepted solution]

Power BI Report Builder doesn't support <img> tags in HTML, so images won't render. As a workaround, extract the image URLs from the HTML in SQL or DAX, pass them as separate fields, and display them using Image controls in the report. This allows dynamic rendering based on parameters while supporting pagination.

[v-bmanikante · Accepted solution]

Hi @mp1234 ,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

@BhavinVyas3003 Thank you for your response.

@mp1234 , as @Bhavin mentioned Power BI Report Builder supports pagination but does not support rendering <img> tags in HTML. In your scenario, images are dynamic ,  so embedding is also not an option.

Please try below workarounds:

1. In Report Builder, Separate out the image URLs from the text (using SQL or Power Query), keep the text content in one field and the image URL(s) in another.
2. In Report Builder, Use a Textbox for the text content and use Image Control with the image URL field. Set the Image control to "External" and bind it to the URL.

This allows pagination and dynamic image rendering, bypassing the <img> tag limitation.

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting as solution to help the other members find it more quickly, don't forget to give a "Kudos " – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[mp1234]

I also have <table> tags, in pagination the content is lost and the table appears as plain text.  How would I preserve the HTML table formatting in Paginated also?

Many thanks

[v-bmanikante · Accepted solution]

Hi @mp1234 ,

Thanks for your follow-up!

Unfortunately, Power BI Report Builder (like SSRS) doesn't fully support HTML tags like <table> ,that's why your table formatting is getting lost and showing up as plain text when paginated.

Please try below workarounds:

1. If your HTML tables follow a pattern, try extracting the data into rows and columns using SQL or Power Query. Then use a Table or Matrix visual in Report Builder to show the data with proper formatting and pagination.
2. If possible use custom app where you can use a browser control to show the full HTML as intended ,with proper table formatting.
3. As a final option, you could pre-render the HTML into an image and show that in the report. But this isn’t great if your content changes based on filters or user input.

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting as solution to help the other members find it more quickly, don't forget to give a "Kudos " – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[v-bmanikante]

Hi @mp1234 ,

We wanted to kindly follow up to check if the solution provided for the issue worked? or Let us know if you need any further assistance?

If our response addressed, please mark it as Accept as solution and click Yes if you found it helpful.

Please don't forget to give a "Kudos " – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[mp1234]

Hi @v-bmanikante 

Thank you for the solutions. Unfortunately HTML content is all combined into one row of data embedded within a single field - this includes tables/images and plain text, so separating the data into rows and columns would lose the the order of the content.

Additionally, the images are stored as URL links which show an error when I try to use PowerBI visuals

URL link example: 

“https://api.companyname/media-persistence-prd/RetrieveImage/......”

Is this an authentication issue which is not allowing me to see the images?

Thanks

[v-bmanikante]

Hi @mp1234 ,

Since all your HTML (including text, tables, and images) is combined into one field, we understand it's not really possible to split it up without losing the structure or order of the content.

Regarding the image URLs not displaying in Power BI Report Builder—this is most likely due to authentication. Report Builder (and SSRS) can’t render images that come from URLs requiring login or secure access. Unless the image URL is publicly accessible (i.e., no authentication needed), it won’t work in the report.

https://api.companyname/media-persistence-prd/RetrieveImage/...

which is probably protected by your company’s authentication, which Report Builder can’t handle.

If your org can expose the images through a public or read-only endpoint, you can use an Image control in Report Builder and set the source to "External" with that URL. If not, another option would be to build a custom web app or Power App that takes your report parameters and fully renders the HTML (images, tables, etc.) with pagination or scrolling built in. Or, if you’re using Power BI Desktop, try simulating pagination with bookmarks or page breaks and export to PDF. Not ideal, but it may help depending on your use case.

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting as solution to help the other members find it more quickly, don't forget to give a "Kudos" – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[v-bmanikante]

Hi @mp1234 ,

As we haven’t heard back from you, we wanted to kindly follow up to check if the solution provided for the issue worked? or Let us know if you need any further assistance?

If our response addressed, please mark it as Accept as solution and click Yes if you found it helpful.

Please don't forget to give a "Kudos " – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[v-bmanikante]

Hi @mp1234 ,

May I ask if you have gotten this issue resolved?

If it is solved, please mark the helpful reply or share your solution and accept it as solution, it will be helpful for other members of the community who have similar problems as yours to solve it faster.

Please don't forget to give a "Kudos " – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[v-bmanikante · Accepted solution]

Hi @mp1234 ,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Fabric Community Forum.

@BhavinVyas3003 Thank you for your response.

@mp1234 , as @Bhavin mentioned Power BI Report Builder supports pagination but does not support rendering <img> tags in HTML. In your scenario, images are dynamic ,  so embedding is also not an option.

Please try below workarounds:

1. In Report Builder, Separate out the image URLs from the text (using SQL or Power Query), keep the text content in one field and the image URL(s) in another.
2. In Report Builder, Use a Textbox for the text content and use Image Control with the image URL field. Set the Image control to "External" and bind it to the URL.

This allows pagination and dynamic image rendering, bypassing the <img> tag limitation.

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting as solution to help the other members find it more quickly, don't forget to give a "Kudos " – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,

B Manikanteswara Reddy

[BhavinVyas3003 · Accepted solution]

Power BI Report Builder doesn't support <img> tags in HTML, so images won't render. As a workaround, extract the image URLs from the HTML in SQL or DAX, pass them as separate fields, and display them using Image controls in the report. This allows dynamic rendering based on parameters while supporting pagination.