Power BI Padding Tips: The Sacred Space Between Chaos and Clarity

Now that we’ve all learned to love rounded corners, let’s talk about another quiet champion of good design: padding.

You know, that tiny bit of space inside your visuals that keeps content from being awkwardly pressed right up against the border, with no room to breathe. Yeah. That.

It’s one of the smallest design tweaks you can make, and yet—one of the most powerful.

Because when padding is missing, your report doesn’t feel clean. It feels cramped. Chaotic. And your users might not know why—but they’ll feel it.

Let’s fix that.

Jump to your section:

• Padding Isn’t Optional

• Whitespace vs. Margin vs. Padding

• The problem: Titles glued to the edge 

• How much padding is enough?

• How to set padding manually in Power BI

• Let JSON do the work for you

• 💡 TLDR: Padding Done Right

Padding Isn’t Optional

Padding is one of those quiet design details that separates “this looks okay” from “this feels good.”

It’s not decoration. It’s function. It gives your visuals room to breathe, helps your content stand out, and makes everything feel just a bit more intentional.

Wait… Didn’t we already talk about whitespace?

We did! Here's the quick version:

• Whitespace gives your report room to breathe.

• It makes content easier to read, scan, and process.

• It’s not just for aesthetics—it improves accessibility and usability.

• And no, it’s not “empty” space. It’s intentional space.

Whitespace vs. Margin vs. Padding

Let’s clear up the terminology:

• Whitespace = all the purposeful empty space in your layout

• Margin = space between visuals or around the canvas

• Padding = space inside a visual, between the content and its edge

👉 Want the full version? Read this blog post on whitespace.

My nightmare: Titles slapped against the border

Lately I’ve seen a lot of visuals where the title is... just glued to the top edge of the box. No breathing space, no buffer.

And if that’s the first thing users see, it sets the tone for a not-so-thoughtful experience.

It’s like writing a paragraph with no paragraph breaks—technically readable, but nobody’s going to thank you for it.

Look at the padding in both visuals. How does it FEEL?

So, how much padding is enough?

In Power BI, the padding setting maxes out at 20px. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough to make a difference. Recommended Padding:

• 12px – Safe, solid default for most visuals (cards, KPIs, text boxes, buttons)

• 16–20px – Great for open layouts, or when you want that calm vibe (even touch targets if you're thinking mobile)

• 8–10px – Use with caution if space is tight (but never for titles!)

💡 Bonus tip:

Buttons need at least 12-16px horizontal padding to feel tappable, not cramped

Gut check: If it feels tight, it IS tight.

Padding issues don’t always scream at you—but your design gut knows. If something feels tense, cramped, or just “off,” it probably needs more breathing space.

Trust the vibe. Add space.

How to set padding manually in Power BI

Want to check or change padding manually? Here’s how:

1. Click on a visual (card, button, text box, container, etc.).

2. In the Format Visual Pane, go to General → Properties (or Style → Text , varies by visual type)

3. Look for Padding (I actually ALWAYS put it in the search bar) adjust values for top, bottom, left, and right individually.

4. Max value is 20px  – use it wisely!

Formatting pane of a visual (left) and a button (right)

💡 Tip: You can also hold Ctrl key and select multiple visuals to set the padding at the same time.

Let JSON do the work for you

You want all that automated? I hear ya. You can define default padding in your theme JSON, especially for visuals that support styling.

Here’s an example:

{
    "name": "Padding by MoonStory",
    "visualStyles": {
	  "*": {
		"*": {
		  "padding": [{
		    "top": 12,
            "left": 16,
            "right": 16,
            "bottom": 12
        }]
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: Not all visuals fully respect theme-level padding (yet), but it’s great for consistency across reports that use containers and custom layouts.

💡 TLDR: Padding Done Right

• Padding = inner space, the cozy buffer between your content and the edge

• Use 12px as your default for most visuals (cards, KPIs, text boxes, buttons)

• 16–20px for calm layouts or touch-friendly design

• 8–10px only if space is tight—but never for titles!

• Buttons need at least 12–16px horizontal padding to feel tappable

• Set it manually or in your Power BI JSON theme:

{
    "name": "Padding by MoonStory",
    "visualStyles": {
	  "*": {
		"*": {
		  "padding": [{
		    "top": 12,
            "left": 16,
            "right": 16,
            "bottom": 12
        }]
      }
    }
  }
}

Wrapping It Up: Good Padding = Good UX

Padding isn’t a luxury—it’s a design essential.

When you get it right:

• Your report feels polished

• Your content is easier to read, scan, and understand

• You’re sending the message: “This was designed with care”

When you skip it people feel it— even if they can’t name it.

So stop slapping titles against the edge. Give your visuals space. Your users deserve better.

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Coming soon: layout logic and the magic of alignment.

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📎 References:

These values are inspired by modern design systems like Material Design and Microsoft Fluent—which emphasize spacing as rhythm, not guesswork.