“How big a PDF can a Dataverse file column hold?” Our SPGuides IT team asked that before storing warranty documents on asset records, and the answer depends on where you upload from.
In this tutorial, we’ll create a dataverse file column on a real Asset table, set its size limit, add it to a form, and upload, download and delete files from the form and the Web API.
Quick answer: A Dataverse file column defaults to 32,768 KB (32 MB). In Power Apps you can set 1 KB to 131,072 KB (128 MB). Through the API, MaxSizeInKB goes up to 10,485,760 KB (10 GB), but anything over 128 MB must be uploaded in chunks.
What You Need Before You Start
- A Power Apps environment with Dataverse and a role that can customize tables (System Customizer or System Administrator). New to it? Start with what Microsoft Dataverse is.
- A table to add the column to. We used an Asset table with 11 rows; here’s how to create a table in Dataverse.
- A model-driven app or the table’s main form, so people can upload files.
Dataverse File Column Size Limits at a Glance
Here’s every limit in one place. The maker portal and the API don’t share the same ceiling.
| Limit | Value | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Default Maximum file size | 32,768 KB (32 MB) | New file column |
| Largest size in Power Apps | 131,072 KB (128 MB) | Maker portal (we tested it) |
| Largest MaxSizeInKB | 10,485,760 KB (10 GB) | Web API or SDK only |
| Single upload request | Under 128 MB | Bigger files need chunked upload |
| Image column maximum | 30,720 KB (30 MB) | Image columns, for comparison |
| Change the size later | Not in the designer | The API can update MaxSizeInKB |
File data isn’t stored in the relational database. Tables with file columns count toward your tenant’s File capacity, not Database capacity. Developer and trial environments show 0 GB in the capacity report. If you only need pictures, the Dataverse image column guide covers the 30 MB image type.
Step 1: Add a New Column to the Table
Go to make.powerapps.com, pick your environment at the top right, and select Tables. Open the table (ours is Asset), then select + New > Column. Our Dataverse formula column guide starts from the same menu.
Step 2: Choose the File Data Type
Enter a display name. We used Warranty Document, which created the schema name cr85a_WarrantyDocument. Open Data type, point to File, and pick File from the submenu.
The same submenu holds Image. Pick that only for pictures, because image columns take jpg, jpeg, gif, bmp and png files.