Curves Ahead: Rounded Corners in Power BI Without Losing the Edge

I’ve been seeing all kinds of shapes in Power BI reports lately—and seems like there's a lot of guesswork when it comes to rounded corners. Some people just throw in a number because it “feels modern”, others skip it altogether. But rounding shouldn’t be random.

Wondering what to do with your edges? Putting in a radius just because? Or maybe your designs still feel... too pointy?

You’re not alone. Rounded corners are one of those quiet-but-powerful design details that can instantly elevate your dashboard. They soften the visuals, guide the eye, and make your report feel more like an experience and less like an Excel grid.

Let’s dig into the magic of radius, the myth of sharpness—and how to round things just right.

• Nature Doesn’t Do Straight Lines (And Maybe You Shouldn’t Either)

• The Rounded Corners Sweet Spot

• What About Buttons?

• Consistency Is King

• Inception of Shapes: Internal Radius

• Want Consistency? Let JSON Handle Your Rounded Corners

• Brand Strategy: Should You Ever Be Sharp?

• 💡 TLDR: Rounded Corners the Right Way

Nature Doesn’t Do Straight Lines (And Maybe You Shouldn’t Either)

Nature doesn’t do straight lines. Rolling hills, river bends, Gaudí’s flowing architecture — curves are everywhere, and they just feel right. Rounded shapes resonate with us instinctively. They’re approachable. Comfortable.

Casa Milà in Barcelona by Antoni Gaudí

Soft edges guide the eye inward, spotlighting the content instead of the container. Think about a card with a gentle radius: your eye naturally moves into the middle, where the number, chart, or insight lives.

Sharp corners do the opposite—they emphasize the edge. They can be useful when you want to create visual tension or urgency, but in most dashboards, that’s the exception, not the norm.

In Power BI, use this to your advantage:

• Rounded corners for cards/visuals, slicers, and buttons create flow and friendliness.

• Sharp corners create tension. Use them sparingly—for alerts, callouts, or visual interruptions.

The Rounded Corners Sweet Spot

So how round is too round?

Start simple. A 6px or 8px radius is usually enough to soften the look without turning your visuals into balloons. 🎈

Push it beyond 12px, and you don’t just soften the layout—you lose the edge. Literally. Your visuals start to feel squishy, imprecise, and a little... meh.

In design, softness should still have structure.

A comparison of 0px (too sharp), 30px (too round) and 8px corner radius (the sweet spot)

What About Buttons?

Unlike cards or visuals, buttons can totally get away with more rounding. In fact, it can help them feel more clickable and interactive—especially in UX where visual cues matter.

Think 12–16px radius for buttons. Some design systems even use fully rounded (pill-shaped) buttons, especially for primary actions.

As long as it aligns with your design and doesn't look out of place, a more rounded button adds a friendly, modern touch—without going overboard.

Consistency Is King

Consistency Is King. Don’t give one card a 4px radius and another a 12px. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about trust.

Inconsistent visuals make your report feel rushed or unintentional. And let's face it, it doesn't look visually appealing.

Inception of Shapes: Internal Radius

Got visuals inside cards? Nested buttons?

Match or slightly reduce the internal corner radius. Too much difference between outer and inner shapes can feel chaotic. You want your nested elements to look like part of the same world, not like they wandered in from another theme.

Example of nested shapes and internal radius

How to Make Rounded Corners in Power BI

Here’s how to round things manually in the Power BI interface:

1. Select your visual (card, slicer, button—you name it).

2. In the Format Visual Pane, go to General → Effects.

3. Under Visual Border, look for Rounded corners.

4. Type in your preferred value (start with 6 or 8 for that clean, modern look).

5. Repeat as needed for consistency!

💡 Pro tip: Some visuals hide this setting unless the border is turned on—just toggle it, set the radius, then turn the border off again or match the border color with the visual background. Sneaky, I know.

Screenshot from Power BI Format options: formatting the radius of a visual (left) and formatting of the radius of a button (right)

Don't Want Manual Stuff? Let JSON Handle Your Rounded Corners

Want to bake consistency right into your reports? Here's a simple JSON snippet to ensure consistent rounded corners across your Power BI visuals:

{
  "name": "Rounded Corners by MoonStory",
  "visualStyles": {
    "*": {
      "*": {
        "border": [
          {
            "show": true,
            "color": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#FFFFFF"
              }
            },
            "radius": 8
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

If your visual background isn't white, adjust that "#FFFFFF" to match it and choose your desired radius.

Set it once. Keep everything curved, clean, and consistent.

Brand Strategy: Should You Ever Be Sharp?

Maybe. Rarely. But yes.

If you're designing for an audience that leans formal—finance, operations, high-stakes dashboards—sharp edges can signal structure and precision. Just make that decision intentionally.

And if you go sharp, go all in. Mixing curves and corners without a reason? That’s design whiplash.

💡 TLDR: Rounded Corners the Right Way

• 6–8px radius is your sweet spot—soft, not bubbly. 🫧

• 12–16px radius for buttons or fully rounded (pill-shape) for primary actions.

• Keep corner radius consistent across ALL visuals. I cannot stress this enough.

• Use rounded corners for cards, visuals, slicers, buttons.

• Use sharp corners only for contrast or alerts.

• Match or reduce internal corner radius in nested visuals.

• Apply a global theme with:

{
  "name": "Rounded Corners by MoonStory",
  "visualStyles": {
    "*": {
      "*": {
        "border": [
          {
            "show": true,
            "color": {
              "solid": {
                "color": "#FFFFFF"
              }
            },
            "radius": 8
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Wrapping It Up: Respect the Curve

Rounded corners might seem like a small thing—but they shape the entire feel of your report. They humanize the interface. They make dashboards easier to read, easier to love, and more likely to be used.

So next time you're building a Power BI report, take a moment to look at your corners. Are they sharp because they need to be—or because you forgot to round them?

---

Are you rounding your corners?

• If not—start now.

• If yes—good. Just don’t lose the edge. ;)

Coming soon: Padding—aka the sacred space between chaos and clarity.

Subscribe to MoonStory to stay in the loop! 🌙

Happy designing!