GA release of Large file and Image support in Power Apps canvas and UCI

We are happy to announce GA support in Power Apps for Dataverse large File and Image data types.  Files up to 128MB and Images up to 30MB are supported.   The File and Image data types have been widely used during the preview period.  However, there were various limitations on the size of files and images and scenarios supported in Power Apps.  The sizes supported by Dataverse and Power Apps were different and the mobile scenario was not supported.  Those limitations are now removed and Power Apps (canvas and UCI) now align with the sizes available in Dataverse.  Large files and images now work in mobile scenarios as well.

Capabilities and recommendations

Image are available in a thumbnail and full size.   By default, a gallery works with the thumbnail image (created automatically by Dataverse on upload) and forms work with the full image.

Large files and images are important for form scenarios.  Form load  performance works best if  image sizes are in the 100 – 400K range.  Larger size images work well in scenarios where the image is loaded after the form is already loaded.   Because of load times, large images work best when retrieved one at a time – as with a form for a single record.   Large images should not be used in galleries where many records are displayed and will initiate the download of many large image files.

Galleries work best with thumbnail images.  Thumbnail images are stored inline with the record so performance is fast.  Full sized images are stored separately in blob storage and must be retrieved separately.

Below is an example using both thumbnail and full images in a canvas app.

Thumbnail  v. full image.

All images have a thumbnail stored with them even if a full image is not stored.  If you have stored the full image then the full image will display on the form.  The thumbnail will continue to be displayed as the primary entity image.

Working with legacy entity images in Dataverse

If you have existing images that were previously stored in Dataverse, those images do not have a full sized image stored with them.  In order to have a full sized image you must reload the original image.  On upload Dataverse will store the original full size image and automatically create a thumbnail.

Some considerations

• These features are for UCI and Power Apps canvas apps.  Webclient does not support these controls.
• The file and image feature is enabled for all applications regardless of whether they had previously turned the preview switch on.   If for any reason the full file and image support feature causes issues, you may turn this feature off with the “Disable Microsoft Dataverse new file and image datatypes” switch.  Please report any bugs you may find.  The ability to disable this feature will be removed in three months.

Feedback

We’d love to hear from you.    Please share your feedback on your experience with the File data type in the comments below or on the PowerApps community forums.