diff --git a/src/spatialdata_io/readers/visium_hd.py b/src/spatialdata_io/readers/visium_hd.py
index 2c1a19d..c910ccf 100644
--- a/src/spatialdata_io/readers/visium_hd.py
+++ b/src/spatialdata_io/readers/visium_hd.py
@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@
 from geopandas import GeoDataFrame
 from imageio import imread as imread2
 from multiscale_spatial_image import MultiscaleSpatialImage
+from numpy.random import default_rng
 from spatial_image import SpatialImage
-from spatialdata import SpatialData
+from spatialdata import SpatialData, rasterize_bins
 from spatialdata.models import Image2DModel, ShapesModel, TableModel
 from spatialdata.transformations import (
     Affine,
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@
 from spatialdata_io._constants._constants import VisiumHDKeys
 from spatialdata_io._docs import inject_docs
 
+RNG = default_rng(0)
+
 
 @inject_docs(vx=VisiumHDKeys)
 def visium_hd(
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ def visium_hd(
     filtered_counts_file: bool = True,
     bin_size: int | list[int] | None = None,
     bins_as_squares: bool = True,
+    annotate_table_by_labels: bool = False,
     fullres_image_file: str | Path | None = None,
     load_all_images: bool = False,
     imread_kwargs: Mapping[str, Any] = MappingProxyType({}),
@@ -67,6 +71,9 @@ def visium_hd(
     bins_as_squares
         If `True`, the bins are represented as squares. If `False`, the bins are represented as circles. For a correct
         visualization one should use squares.
+    annotate_table_by_labels
+        If `True`, the tables will annotate labels layers representing the bins, if `False`, the tables will annotate
+        shapes layer.
     fullres_image_file
         Path to the full-resolution image. By default the image is searched in the ``{vx.MICROSCOPE_IMAGE!r}``
         directory.
@@ -89,6 +96,7 @@ def visium_hd(
     tables = {}
     shapes = {}
     images: dict[str, Any] = {}
+    labels: dict[str, Any] = {}
 
     if dataset_id is None:
         dataset_id = _infer_dataset_id(path)
@@ -189,7 +197,14 @@ def _get_bins(path_bins: Path) -> list[str]:
                 VisiumHDKeys.LOCATIONS_X,
             ]
         )
+        assert isinstance(coords.index, pd.RangeIndex)
+        dtype = _get_uint_dtype(coords.index.stop)
+
+        coords = coords.reset_index().rename(columns={"index": VisiumHDKeys.INSTANCE_KEY})
+        coords[VisiumHDKeys.INSTANCE_KEY] = coords[VisiumHDKeys.INSTANCE_KEY].astype(dtype)
+
         coords.set_index(VisiumHDKeys.BARCODE, inplace=True, drop=True)
+
         coords_filtered = coords.loc[adata.obs.index]
         adata.obs = pd.merge(adata.obs, coords_filtered, how="left", left_index=True, right_index=True)
         # compatibility to legacy squidpy
@@ -202,7 +217,6 @@ def _get_bins(path_bins: Path) -> list[str]:
             ],
             inplace=True,
         )
-        adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.INSTANCE_KEY] = np.arange(len(adata))
 
         # scaling
         transform_original = Identity()
@@ -247,7 +261,6 @@ def _get_bins(path_bins: Path) -> list[str]:
                 GeoDataFrame(geometry=squares_series), transformations=transformations
             )
 
-        # parse table
         adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY] = shapes_name
         adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY] = adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY].astype("category")
 
@@ -347,7 +360,46 @@ def _get_bins(path_bins: Path) -> list[str]:
         affine1 = transform_matrices["spot_colrow_to_microscope_colrow"]
         set_transformation(image, Sequence([affine0, affine1]), "global")
 
-    return SpatialData(tables=tables, images=images, shapes=shapes)
+    sdata = SpatialData(tables=tables, images=images, shapes=shapes, labels=labels)
+
+    if annotate_table_by_labels:
+        for bin_size_str in bin_sizes:
+
+            shapes_name = dataset_id + "_" + bin_size_str
+
+            # add labels layer (rasterized bins).
+            labels_name = f"{dataset_id}_{bin_size_str}_labels"
+
+            labels_element = rasterize_bins(
+                sdata,
+                bins=shapes_name,
+                table_name=bin_size_str,
+                row_key=VisiumHDKeys.ARRAY_ROW,
+                col_key=VisiumHDKeys.ARRAY_COL,
+                value_key=None,
+                return_region_as_labels=True,
+            )
+
+            sdata[labels_name] = labels_element
+
+            adata = sdata[bin_size_str]
+
+            adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY] = labels_name
+            adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY] = adata.obs[VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY].astype("category")
+
+            del adata.uns[TableModel.ATTRS_KEY]
+
+            adata = TableModel.parse(
+                adata,
+                region=labels_name,
+                region_key=str(VisiumHDKeys.REGION_KEY),
+                instance_key=str(VisiumHDKeys.INSTANCE_KEY),
+            )
+
+            del sdata[bin_size_str]
+            sdata[bin_size_str] = adata
+
+    return sdata
 
 
 def _infer_dataset_id(path: Path) -> str:
@@ -422,3 +474,19 @@ def _get_transform_matrices(metadata: dict[str, Any], hd_layout: dict[str, Any])
         transform_matrices[key.value] = _get_affine(data)
 
     return transform_matrices
+
+
+def _get_uint_dtype(value: int) -> str:
+    max_uint64 = np.iinfo(np.uint64).max
+    max_uint32 = np.iinfo(np.uint32).max
+    max_uint16 = np.iinfo(np.uint16).max
+
+    if max_uint16 >= value:
+        dtype = "uint16"
+    elif max_uint32 >= value:
+        dtype = "uint32"
+    elif max_uint64 >= value:
+        dtype = "uint64"
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f"Maximum cell number is {value}. Values higher than {max_uint64} are not supported.")
+    return dtype