Newer
Older
---
title: Signed embedding
---
# Signed embedding
Also known as: standalone embedding.
In general, embedding works by displaying a Metabase URL inside an iframe on your website. A **signed embed** (or standalone embed) is an iframe that's secured with a signed JSON Web Token (JWT). The signed JWT will prevent website visitors from poking around in your Metabase through the iframe.
Signed embeds can't be combined with [data sandboxes](../permissions/data-sandboxes.md) because signed JWTs don't create user sessions (server-side sessions).
To restrict data in signed embeds for specific people or groups, set up [locked parameters](./signed-embedding-parameters.md#pre-filtering-data-in-a-signed-embed) instead.
## How signed embedding works
If you want to set up interactive Metabase filters in your iframe, your web server will need to make requests to Metabase for updated data each time a website visitor updates the filter widget.
To ask for updated data from Metabase, your web server will generate a new Metabase [embedding URL](#adding-the-embedding-url-to-your-website). For example, if a website visitor enters the value "true" in an [embedded filter widget](./signed-embedding-parameters.md#adding-a-filter-widget-to-a-signed-embed), your web server will generate a new embedding URL with an extra parameter:
```
your_metabase_embedding_url?filter=true
```
To prevent people from editing the embedding URL to get access to other parts of your Metabase (e.g., by changing the parameter to `filter=company_secrets`), your web server will add a signed JWT to the new embedding URL:
```
your_metabase_embedding_url/your_signed_jwt?filter=true
```
The signed JWT is generated using your [Metabase secret key](#regenerating-the-secret-key). It tells Metabase that the request for filtered data can be trusted, so it's safe to display the results at the new embedding URL.
If you want to embed charts with additional interactive features, like [drill-down](https://www.metabase.com/learn/questions/drill-through) and [self-service querying](../questions/query-builder/introduction.md), see [Full-app embedding](./full-app-embedding.md).
## Enabling the embedding feature in Metabase
1. Go to **Settings** > **Admin settings** > **Embedding**.
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
2. Click **Enable**.
## Making a question or dashboard embeddable
1. Go to the question or dashboard that you want to embed in your website.
2. Click on the **sharing icon** (square with an arrow pointing to the top right).
3. Select **Embed this item in an application**.
4. Optional: [Preview the appearance of the embed](#customizing-the-appearance-of-signed-embeds).
5. Optional: [Add parameters to the embed](./signed-embedding-parameters.md).
6. Click **Publish**.
## Adding the embedding URL to your website
The embedding URL for a question or dashboard is the Metabase URL that'll be displayed in your website's iframe. It's generated by your web server using your [Metabase site URL](../configuring-metabase/settings.md#site-url), [signed JWT](#how-signed-embedding-works), and [parameters](./signed-embedding-parameters.md):
```
metabase_site_url/embed/question/your_jwt_token?parameter_name=value
```
Once you've made a question or dashboard [embeddable](#making-a-question-or-dashboard-embeddable), you'll need to put the embedding URL for that question or dashboard on your website:
1. Go to the question or dashboard > **sharing icon** > **Embed this item in an application**.
2. Click **Code**.
3. From the top block, get the sample code for your backend web server:
- Select your web framework from the dropdown menu.
- Copy the code snippet generated by Metabase.
- Paste the code in the file that builds your website.
4. From the bottom block, get the sample code for your frontend:
- Select your template language from the dropdown menu.
- Copy the HTML snippet generated by Metabase.
- Paste the snippet in the HTML document where you want your signed embed to appear.
For more examples, see our [reference apps repo](https://github.com/metabase/embedding-reference-apps).
## Editing an embedded question or dashboard
If you change the [parameters](./signed-embedding-parameters.md) of your embedded item:
1. Click **Publish** again.
2. [Update the code](#adding-the-embedding-url-to-your-website) on your server so that it matches the code generated by Metabase (**Code** > top block).
## Disabling embedding for a question or dashboard
You can find a list of all embedded questions and dashboards from **Admin settings** > **Embedding**.
1. Go to the embeddable question or dashboard.
2. Click on the **sharing icon** (square with an arrow pointing to the top right).
3. Select **Embed this item in an application**.
4. Click **Unpublish**.
## Customizing the appearance of signed embeds
You can change the way an embedded question or dashboard looks in an iframe (which won't change how it looks in your Metabase instance). Settings include:
- Border
- Title
- Theme (light, dark, transparent)
- Font\*
- Download data\* (Note: This setting only hides the download button. To disable the feature entirely, use the [Download results permission](../permissions/data.md#download-results).)
\* Available on paid plans.
To update the appearance of a signed embed:
1. Optional: Preview the appearance changes from your question or dashboard's embedding settings (**sharing icon** > **Embed this item in an application**).
2. Optional: Click **Code** to find the updated server code snippet in the top block.
3. Change the [parameters](./signed-embedding-parameters.md#customizing-the-appearance-of-a-signed-embed) in your actual server code.
For global appearance settings, such as the colors and fonts used across your entire Metabase instance, see [Customizing Metabase's appearance](../configuring-metabase/appearance.md).
## Removing the "Powered by Metabase" banner
The banner appears on signed embeds created with the Metabase open source version. You'll need to upgrade to a [paid plan](https://www.metabase.com/pricing) to remove the banner.
## Regenerating the secret key
Your embedding secret key is used to sign JWTs for all of your [embedding URLs](#adding-the-embedding-url-to-your-website). You can find it under **Settings** > **Admin settings** > **Embedding**.
**Regenerate key** will create a new secret key, and break any embedding URLs that used the old key.
## Resizing dashboards to fit their content
Dashboards are a fixed aspect ratio, so if you'd like to ensure they're automatically sized vertically to fit their contents you can use the [iFrame Resizer](https://github.com/davidjbradshaw/iframe-resizer) script. Metabase serves a copy for convenience:
```
<script src="http://metabase.example.com/app/iframeResizer.js"></script>
<iframe src="http://metabase.example.com/embed/dashboard/TOKEN" onload="iFrameResize({}, this)"></iframe>
```
## Further reading
- [Parameters for signed embeds](./signed-embedding-parameters.md).
- [Strategies for delivering customer-facing analytics](https://www.metabase.com/learn/embedding/embedding-overview).
- [Publishing data visualizations to the web](https://www.metabase.com/learn/embedding/embedding-charts-and-dashboards).
- [Customizing Metabase's appearance](../configuring-metabase/appearance.md).