Have you ever opened an Illustrator file and gotten an error message of “could not find the linked file “abode.jpg”” or similar. This tutorial will explain what linked files are (versus embedded), when you might want to use them, and troubleshooting steps you can take so that you don’t get that error in your AI workspace.

• What is a Linked Image and how to identify it (00:47)
• What is an Embedded Image and how to identify it (01:34)
• What is the difference between Linked and Embedded Images and what one should I use? (01:44)
• Why you have to use an embedded image to make a pattern swatch (3:18)
• How to place a jpg, scan, or other raster artwork in Illustrator and control whether it’s linked or embedded (3:50)
• How to edit or update a Linked Image (05:12)
• How to Embed a Linked Image (06:16)
• How to drag and drop an Image into Adobe Illustrator (06:51)
• Troubleshooting when the warning “could not find the linked file “fashion_sketch.tif” appears. Choose Replace to select another file or ignore to leave the link unchanged.” pops up (07:50)
• What to do when the warning “Some files are missing or modified in the Links panel. Would you like to update them now?” pops up (8:50)
• What happens if you choose “Ignore” (9:00)