PowerApps can seem tricky when you’re aiming for layouts that are both functional and visually appealing. With the right tools and techniques, though, creating responsive, scalable designs doesn’t have to be overwhelming. In this guide, we’re exploring how nested containers can simplify your PowerApps layouts and save you hours of frustration.

Whether you’re designing apps for personal use or professional projects, the concepts here will help streamline your workflow. While this guide uses a holiday recipe app as an example, the methods apply to any app you’re building.

What Are Nested Containers and Why Should You Care?

PowerApps containers make design more intuitive by helping you group and arrange elements. Think of them as boxes that let you organize your app’s content into horizontal, vertical, or even “container containers.” This setup simplifies responsive layout design, making every element scale and align perfectly.

In short, nested containers let you focus less on fiddling with alignment and more on functionality. Whether you’re building for a tiny laptop screen or a massive monitor, these tools handle the hard work of adapting layouts.

Key Features of Containers in PowerApps

There are three types of containers you can use in PowerApps:

• Vertical Containers: Arrange items in a top-to-bottom layout.
• Horizontal Containers: Line up elements side by side.
• Container Containers: Group multiple elements together, which can include other containers.

Everything within a container is treated as a unit. These “next-level groups” make complex layouts manageable and reusable. For example, you can add a drop shadow or adjust the border radius for all items in a container at once.

Creating a Responsive App Layout

Let’s walk through how to set up a clean, responsive layout using nested containers.

The Main Screen Layout

On the main screen of the example app, the design begins with a vertical container. This ensures elements are stacked from top to bottom. For instance:

1. The first element is a horizontal container that holds a back arrow and the screen title. Whether users are on a small laptop or a large monitor, the container automatically stretches or adjusts to fill the screen width, thanks to the “Flexible Width” setting.
2. Below that is another horizontal container, which houses a gallery of items. This gallery features a mix of images, titles, and ingredient lists.

Using Containers in Galleries

Galleries are much easier to manage when paired with containers. Instead of manually aligning elements, containers handle placement automatically. In the example app:

• A horizontal gallery displays a set of recipe cards.
• Within each gallery item, nested containers organize the content. For instance:
  • A vertical container stacks the image, title, and ingredients list.
  • A container container wraps the image, allowing rounded edges and drop shadows with a single setting.

This layered structure not only keeps things neat but also makes updates easier. Want to change the style of every card? Adjust the container settings instead of editing each one individually.

Dynamic Features for Better User Experience

To make the app more interactive, the example uses dynamic elements powered by SharePoint lists. Here’s how:

1. Random Recipe on Startup: When the app loads, a random recipe is selected from the SharePoint list and displayed on the main screen. This is done using the RandBetween formula to pick an item ID.
2. Split Ingredients and Directions: Both ingredients and directions are stored as semicolon-separated text in SharePoint. Inside the app, the Split() function turns these strings into lists, which are displayed in separate galleries for clarity.

Customizing Layouts With Style

Beyond functionality, nested containers enable design tweaks that elevate your app’s appearance:

• Border Radius: You can easily round the corners of elements inside containers. For example, increasing the border radius creates a smooth, polished look for recipe cards.
• Drop Shadows: Add depth to your design by enabling shadows for entire containers.
• Flexible Width and Height: Containers automatically adjust to different screen sizes, saving you the headache of manual resizing.

These features aren’t just useful for responsive apps—they can save time even in fixed-layout designs.

Advanced Screen-Specific Layouts

Every screen in the app builds on these concepts. Let’s look at another category screen as an example:

• The header uses a horizontal container for consistency.
• The main content area is divided into galleries, each styled using container containers.
• For user interaction, buttons with hover effects guide users intuitively through the app.

Even though the recipe app uses festive elements, these techniques work for any business or personal project. Containers keep layouts adaptable, consistent, and visually appealing without extra manual effort.

Why Containers Streamline PowerApps Development

Nested containers are one of the easiest ways to simplify layout management in PowerApps. They eliminate the need for fine-tuned manual alignment by keeping everything organized and structured. Whether building dynamic galleries or creating responsive layouts, containers save time, reduce frustration, and improve app usability.

Give It a Try

PowerApps containers are like having a design assistant at your fingertips. They streamline your workflow, adapt to any screen size, and make updates easier than ever. If you’re creating apps, give these layout tools a shot.

Loved the walkthrough? Hit that thumbs-up button and share with fellow PowerApps enthusiasts. Comment below with your thoughts, questions, or other challenges you’d like to tackle in PowerApps. Stay tuned for next time, where we’ll explore advanced fly-out filter menus and more!