If you want your team’s dashboard to actually feel like your dashboard—not just another generic SaaS screen—customizing the look is a must. Maybe you’ve got execs peeking at wall displays, or your team checks stats every morning. Either way, the little stuff—like matching the company colors or adding your logo—actually matters for buy-in.
This guide is for anyone using Geckoboard who wants their dashboards to look sharp and branded, without wasting hours poking around menus or giving up because “it’s good enough.” We’ll go step-by-step, call out what’s worth your time, and point out the limits so you don’t waste effort chasing what Geckoboard just doesn’t do.
1. First, Know What You Can (and Can’t) Customize in Geckoboard
Before you start, let’s clear up some expectations. Geckoboard is built for quick, no-fuss dashboards, not pixel-perfect design. You can:
- Change the dashboard’s theme (light or dark)
- Add your logo and adjust basic branding
- Move and resize widgets to create custom layouts
- Choose colors for some widgets to match your brand
- Hide or show dashboard elements (like the title bar)
You can’t:
- Upload custom fonts
- Use advanced CSS or full custom themes
- Control every color or fine-tune spacing everywhere
- Add backgrounds or overlays
If you need wild design freedom, Geckoboard isn’t the tool. But for most teams, you can get 80% of the way there with what’s built-in.
2. Set Your Dashboard Theme (Light/Dark)
This is the quickest way to give your dashboard a bit of personality.
How to change the theme: 1. Open your dashboard in Geckoboard. 2. Click the “Customize” button (paint roller icon) in the top right corner. 3. Under “Theme,” choose either “Light” or “Dark.”
Pro tip: - Dark themes look better on wall-mounted screens and in low-light offices. Light themes are easier for printouts and screenshots. - If your brand is very color-specific (say, all your materials are dark with bright accents), match the dashboard theme to your overall vibe.
3. Add Your Company Logo
Nothing says “our dashboard” like your own logo in the corner.
Steps to add or change your logo: 1. In the “Customize” panel, look for the “Logo” section. 2. Click “Upload logo.” Pick a high-res PNG or SVG for best results. 3. Adjust the size slider if needed.
What works: - Transparent backgrounds look cleaner. - Simple logos fit better in the small space; skip the tagline or busy designs.
Limits: - The logo appears in the top left (or top right, depending on layout). You can’t move it or make it huge. - No animated logos or GIFs.
4. Tweak Dashboard Layout and Widget Placement
This is where you can make things feel less generic.
How to rearrange widgets: 1. Hover over any widget. Click and drag it to move it. 2. To resize, drag the bottom-right corner of the widget. 3. Use “Add widget” to bring in new charts, numbers, or text.
Best practices: - Group related metrics together. For example, sales KPIs on the left, support stats on the right. - Use whitespace on purpose. Don’t cram everything together. - Bigger widgets draw attention, so make your most important metric larger.
What’s limited: - You can’t create custom grid sizes. Widgets snap to a fixed grid. - No overlapping or freeform design—everything is in a tidy matrix.
Ignore: Trying to “hack” the grid with lots of tiny widgets rarely looks good. Embrace the structure.
5. Brand Your Widgets with Colors and Titles
Some widgets let you choose accent colors or add custom titles. This is your best shot at making the dashboard feel on-brand.
How to customize widget colors: 1. Edit any widget (hover and click the pencil icon). 2. Look for “Color” or “Accent color” in the settings. (Not all widgets have this. Line, bar, and number widgets usually do.) 3. Pick a color that matches your brand’s palette. Enter a hex code for an exact match.
Widget titles and labels: - Change titles to your team’s language. “Customer Satisfaction” might become “Happy Customers Score.” - Add units and descriptions so people don’t have to guess.
What works: - Use your main brand color for highlights, but don’t overdo it. Too much bright color is distracting. - Stay consistent: If “green” means “good” in your brand, keep that logic everywhere.
Limits: - You can’t control every color. Some charts (like pie charts) pick their own palettes. - No font changes—everything stays in Geckoboard’s default typeface.
6. Hide Dashboard Elements You Don’t Need
Cleaner dashboards look more professional—and more branded.
How to hide dashboard elements: 1. In the “Customize” panel, toggle off “Dashboard title” if you don’t need it. 2. You can also hide widget titles or legends in each widget’s settings.
When to hide: - Wall displays: Hide navigation bars and titles for a fullscreen look. - Team dashboards: Leave titles on if people need context.
Heads up: - Don’t hide so much that people get confused about what they’re seeing.
7. Use Text and Image Widgets for Extra Branding
Text widgets are your friend for adding taglines or quick explanations. Image widgets let you sneak in a background or extra logos (within reason).
Adding a text or image widget: 1. Click “Add widget.” 2. Choose “Text” or “Image.” 3. For text, use it for headers, instructions, or calls-to-action. 4. For images, upload PNGs or JPEGs. Keep these small—large images can make the dashboard slow and cluttered.
Pro tip: - Don’t try to turn Geckoboard into a poster. Use these features sparingly to avoid making it look “busy.”
8. Share and Display: Keeping Your Branding Front and Center
Once your dashboard looks the way you want, make sure it stays that way wherever people see it.
Sharing options: - TV/Wall display: Use “Fullscreen mode” to remove browser chrome and distractions. - Share link: Your branding will show up for anyone with the link (as long as they’re logged in, if it’s private). - Snapshots: Static image exports keep your branding, but lose interactive elements.
What to watch out for: - Some integrations (like Slack snapshots) might crop or resize your dashboard—test before you share. - If your dashboard is embedded elsewhere, check how your branding looks on different backgrounds.
9. What Not to Stress About
Let’s be honest: most people won’t care if your dashboard is a perfect Pantone match or has your custom font. What matters is that your team understands what they’re seeing, and it feels like it belongs to your company.
Skip these: - Hunting for hidden “advanced branding” settings—what you see is what you get. - Worrying about tiny design inconsistencies. Geckoboard isn’t Figma.
10. Quick FAQ: Common Customization Questions
-
Can I use my own fonts?
Nope. You’re limited to Geckoboard’s built-in font. -
Can I set a custom background image?
Not for the whole dashboard. You can add images as widgets, but backgrounds aren’t supported. -
Can I make my own color themes?
Not globally. You can set colors for some widgets, but not for the whole dashboard. -
Can I white-label Geckoboard?
You can hide most Geckoboard branding, but a full white-label experience isn’t possible.
Keep It Simple, Brand It, and Move On
Branding your Geckoboard dashboard is mostly about the basics: logo, colors, and a clear layout. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Focus on clarity, use your company colors where you can, and save your energy for what actually matters—making sure the right metrics are front and center.
You can always tweak later. For now, get your dashboard looking sharp, and get back to work.