Easy Tech TutsHow to Use Card Visual in Power BI - Highlight Key Metrics Easily 2026
By Impran M N
Sometimes the most important number on a dashboard is a single figure, like total sales or an average score, and it deserves its own spotlight. This guide shows how to use Power BI's Card visual to display that key metric front and center. It's ideal for anyone who wants a report that communicates its headline number instantly.
01Create your first Card visual
Select the Card visual from the visualizations pane and drag it onto your canvas, then add the measure or field you want to feature.
02Customize the card's appearance
Adjust the font size, color, and label text so the number stands out clearly and matches the rest of your report's style.
03Select the right metric to display
Choose a metric that genuinely deserves top billing, such as total revenue or a single performance indicator, rather than something better suited to a chart.
04Explore business use cases
Think about where a card fits best, such as showing total units sold at the top of a sales report or a customer satisfaction score on a service dashboard.
05Consider automation for real-time updates
If the underlying data refreshes automatically, the card will reflect the latest number without any manual editing needed.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Card visual show more than one number?
A standard Card is designed for a single value; if you need multiple metrics together, the Multi-Row Card visual is a better fit.
Can I add a comparison, like percentage change, to a Card?
Yes, some card configurations support a secondary comparison value, letting you show both the current figure and how it changed from a prior period.
Why is my card showing a blank or zero value?
This is usually caused by filters excluding all relevant data, or the underlying measure returning a blank result for the current context.
Is the Card visual good for mobile dashboards?
Yes, cards tend to work especially well on mobile layouts since they're compact and easy to read on smaller screens.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
