RDL file size limit when publishing to Power BI Service

[gb_asc]

Here is a polished version:

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Hi all,

I am trying to publish a paginated report to the Power BI Service, but the file size is over 20 MB and I am receiving an error stating that the file cannot be published because it exceeds the 20 MB limit.

Has anyone encountered this issue before? I could not find any official documentation from Microsoft regarding this limit. If anyone has guidance or knows of any workarounds, please let me know.

Thank you.

[Shubham_rai955]

RDL files larger than 20 MB cannot be uploaded. This limit is hard coded and Microsoft has not provided an option to increase it.

How to fix it

Try any of these:

1. Reduce the number of images
   Remove high resolution logos, icons, backgrounds or replace them with smaller versions.

2. Compress or remove embedded resources
   Paginated reports often contain hidden embedded images or fonts.
   In Report Builder:
   View tab > Report Data > Embedded Images > delete unused items.

3. Reduce dataset size
   Limit the rows returned by queries.
   Use parameters or filters so the report is not pulling unnecessary data.

4. Remove unused subreports or unused datasets
   These increase the RDL file size even if they are not displayed.

5. Turn off Keep Together for large tablixes
   This sometimes reduces layout metadata.

6. Split the report
   If the report is too complex, split it into two separate paginated reports.

7. Convert images to JPEG or PNG and compress before embedding
   This alone reduces many RDL files by 50 percent or more.

Bottom line
You cannot bypass the 20 MB limit.
You can only reduce the RDL file size so it goes under 20 MB.

[v-achippa]

Hi @gb_asc,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Fabric Community.

Thank you @DataVitalizer and @Nabha-Ahmed for the prompt response. 

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

Thanks and regards,

Anjan Kumar Chippa

[v-achippa]

Hi @gb_asc,

We wanted to kindly follow up to check if the solution provided by the user's for the issue worked? or let us know if you need any further assistance.

Thanks and regards,

Anjan Kumar Chippa

[DataVitalizer · Accepted solution]

Hi @gb_asc 

Yes, there is a 20 MB upload limit for paginated report files (.rdl) in the Power BI Service, this is a known restriction.

In order to solve the issue you’ll need to reduce the file size (by trimming embedded images, simplifying queries, or removing unused datasets) or publish the report through a workspace connected to a Premium capacity, where larger reports can be supported.

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[Nabha-Ahmed]

Hi 

Yes — this is a known limitation. Power BI Service only supports publishing paginated reports (.rdl files) up to 20 MB. This limit applies when uploading directly to the Power BI workspace.

Workarounds:

1. Upload via Power BI Report Builder:

   • Open the report in Report Builder → File > Save As > Power BI Service → choose your workspace.

   • Sometimes this method handles slightly larger files more reliably than direct upload.

2. Reduce file size:

   • Optimize your dataset: limit rows, remove unused fields, or filter data at the source.

   • Avoid embedding large images or resources in the report.

3. Host the report on a Report Server (Power BI Report Server or SSRS):

   • If file size cannot be reduced, publish it to a Power BI Report Server instead — it doesn’t have the 20 MB restriction.

Unfortunately, as of now, Microsoft hasn’t officially provided a way to increase this size limit in the Power BI Service. You can upvote this feature request here:
  https://ideas.fabric.microsoft.com/

Hope this helps!