Power Pages: External Websites Made Easy
Power Pages lets you build secure, professional external-facing websites connected to Dataverse — no traditional web development needed. Learn what Power Pages is, when to use it, and how to create sites.
What is Power Pages?
Power Pages is a website builder — but for business data.
Imagine Tom at Summit Realty wants a website where potential buyers can browse property listings, book viewings, and submit enquiries — all without calling the office. But he does not want to hire a developer or learn HTML.
Power Pages gives Tom a drag-and-drop website builder that connects directly to his Dataverse data. He designs pages visually, and the website talks to the same database his internal team uses in Power Apps.
Think of it as Wix or Squarespace, but plugged straight into Microsoft’s business data platform.
Why Power Pages matters
Every other Power Platform tool you have studied so far (Power Apps, Power Automate) is aimed at internal users — people inside your organisation who have a Microsoft licence.
Power Pages flips that. It is designed for external users — people who visit your public website, submit a form, or check their account status. They do not need a Microsoft account.
Tom at Summit Realty does not want property buyers to need a Microsoft 365 licence. He needs a public-facing portal anyone can visit.
Use cases for Power Pages
| Use Case | Example | Who Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Self-service portal | Customers check order status or update their details | Tom’s property buyers tracking viewings |
| Partner portal | Suppliers submit invoices, check payment status | Aisha’s logistics partners at Coastal Logistics |
| Booking and scheduling | Citizens book appointments or reserve facilities | A council letting residents book meeting rooms |
| Knowledge base | FAQ site with searchable articles | Carlos’s patients at Greenleaf Health finding answers |
| Application portal | Job seekers apply online, track application status | Priya’s team at Spark & Co hiring new staff |
| Community forum | Users discuss topics, share solutions | A software company’s customer support community |
Tom's scenario: the property portal
Tom at Summit Realty (120 staff) wants a portal where:
- Buyers browse current listings with photos and prices
- Buyers register an account and save favourite properties
- Buyers submit viewing requests that land in the team’s Dataverse table
- Agents see those requests inside their model-driven app
Power Pages connects to the same Dataverse tables his internal Power App uses. One database, two audiences.
How Power Pages fits into the Power Platform
Power Pages is one of the core pillars of the Power Platform, joining Power Apps, Power Automate, and Copilot Studio. Each solves a different problem:
| Pillar | What It Does | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Power Apps | Build apps for business processes | Internal users |
| Power Automate | Automate workflows and approvals | Internal processes |
| Power BI | Visualise data in dashboards and reports | Internal analysts and decision-makers |
| Copilot Studio | Build AI chatbots and agents | Internal and external |
| Power Pages | Build data-driven external websites | External users (customers, partners, public) |
The common thread: Dataverse. All pillars connect to the same Dataverse database. Tom’s internal agents use Power Apps to manage listings. Buyers use Power Pages to browse them. Power Automate sends a notification when a new viewing request arrives. One data platform, multiple experiences.
It used to be called Power Apps Portals
Before October 2022, this product was called Power Apps Portals. Microsoft rebranded it to Power Pages and gave it a new design studio, Copilot features, and its own identity.
The exam may still reference “portals” in older-style questions. They mean the same product.
Exam tip: name change
If a question mentions “Power Apps Portals” or just “Portals” — it is talking about what is now called Power Pages. The underlying technology (Dataverse-backed external websites) is the same.
Methods for creating Power Pages sites
There are three main ways to create a site. The exam expects you to know all three.
| Method | How It Works | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Templates | Pick a pre-built starter site and customise it | Getting started quickly with a proven layout |
| Copilot | Describe your site in natural language and AI generates it | Rapid prototyping, business users who want speed |
| Design studio (blank) | Start from a blank page and build everything yourself | Full control over layout and structure |
All three methods end up in the same design studio for further editing. The difference is just how much is pre-built for you.
How Tom created his property portal
Tom opened make.powerpages.microsoft.com and chose Copilot:
- He described: “A property listing portal where buyers can browse homes, register, and book viewings”
- Copilot generated a multi-page site with a listings page, contact form, and registration page
- Tom opened the design studio and tweaked colours, added the Summit Realty logo, and adjusted the layout
- Total time to a working prototype: under 30 minutes
Power Pages vs other website options
| Feature | Target audience | Data connection | Coding needed | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Pages | External (anyone on the internet) | Dataverse (native) | No — low-code design studio | Per-website + authenticated user packs |
| SharePoint sites | Internal (licensed M365 users) | SharePoint lists | No — drag-and-drop | Included in M365 licence |
| Wix / Squarespace | External (anyone) | No native business data | No — visual builder | Monthly subscription |
| Custom web app | Anyone | Any database | Yes — full-stack development | Hosting + developer time |
The key differentiator: Power Pages is the only option that gives you a low-code external website with a direct connection to Dataverse business data.
Exam tip: SharePoint vs Power Pages
This is a favourite exam question. The shortcut:
- Internal audience (employees) → SharePoint
- External audience (customers, partners, public) → Power Pages
If the scenario describes people outside the organisation accessing a website, the answer is Power Pages.
Power Pages licensing at a glance
You do not need to memorise pricing, but the exam expects you to understand the model:
- Power Pages is licensed per website (you pay for each site you create)
- Authenticated users (people who log in) require additional capacity packs
- Anonymous users (visitors who browse without logging in) are included
- This is different from Power Apps, which licenses per user or per app
Tom’s property portal has two cost components: the site itself and capacity for buyers who register and log in.
Flashcards
Knowledge check
Tom at Summit Realty wants property buyers to browse listings and book viewings online. Buyers do not have Microsoft licences. Which tool should he use?
Which method of creating a Power Pages site lets you describe what you want in natural language and have AI generate the initial pages?
A government agency needs citizens to check their application status online. Citizens do not have organisational accounts. Which is the best option?
Next up: Power Pages Security — how to protect your external site and control who sees what.