Links Checks

‘Links’ are made to the original files of images that have been placed into the InDesign document; they might also, less commonly, be text files.

InDesign can cope with links from anywhere on your computer; for example, your Desktop, your Dropbox or Google Drives, or on remote file servers, and this approach is fine while the document is in progress. However, once the document is ready for output, you should gather together all links items into a single folder within the same folder as the InDesign document, otherwise images will almost certainly become unlinked or get lost, preventing reuse in the future.

• Good InDesign housekeeping means always knowing where your linked files are!

You can fix the problem above by moving the linked files and choosing to relink in InDesign’s Links panel menu.

Alternatively, it is possible to Package a document (File menu > Package…). This brings together copies of all linked items in a 'Links' folder together with a copy of the InDesign document into a new folder with the document’s name. You can also choose whether to create a PDF and IDML file, (which can be opened by previous versions of InDesign).

Adobe links and embedded graphics help

‘Links’ are made to the original files of images that have been placed into the InDesign document; they might also, less commonly, be text files.

External links can instead be saved inside the InDesign document through ‘embedding’. An icon

is shown under the Status column in the Links panel (InDesign Window menu > Links)

Advantages of embedding links:

• Links travel with the document and can’t go missing if renamed, moved or disconnected.

Disadvantages of embedding links:

• Difficult to change and update the links.
• Potential for massive increase of the InDesign file’s size as each image is saved inside the file.

To embed an image, select its name in the Links panel, and from the panel menu choose Embed Link.

• Embedded images can also be unembedded to revert to linked imaged if required through the same panel menu.

Adobe links and embedded graphics help

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InDesign's default method for working with images is that ‘links’ are made to the original files that have been placed into the document. Less commonly, this might also apply to text files.

External links can instead be saved inside the InDesign document through ‘embedding’. An icon

is shown under the Status column in the Links panel (InDesign Window menu > Links)

Advantages of embedding links:

• Links travel with the document and can’t go missing if renamed, moved or disconnected.

Disadvantages of embedding links:

• Difficult to change and update the links.
• Potential for massive increase of the InDesign file’s size as each image is saved inside the file.

Fix the problem of changing an embedded image into a linked image by selecting its name in the InDesign Links panel and from the panel menu choosing Umembed Link.

You can then choose whether to link back to the original file or create a new copy to link to instead

Adobe links and embedded graphics help

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‘Links’ are made to the original files of images that have been placed into the InDesign document; they might also, less commonly, be text files.

Icons are shown under the Status column in the Links Panel. (InDesign Window menu > Links) to indicate a problem.

= Missing Link

Links can go missing if renamed, moved or your computer is disconnected from them if held remotely e.g. on a file server.

= Modified Link

Links become modified if edited outside of InDesign e.g. resized or colour adjusted in Photoshop.

Fix this problem by selecting the link(s) in InDesign's Links panel and from the panel menu choosing Update in the case of a Modified image or Relink if missing.

Adobe links and embedded graphics help

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