What is the difference between linked and embedded files

In the source file, when you update the information that the linked object was created from, the linked object in the destination file can be updated also. Information the object that is created in one file the source file and inserted into another file the destination file while maintaining a connection between the two files. The linked object in the destination file can be updated when the source file is updated. A linked object does not become part of the destination file.

Information the object inserted into a file the destination file. Once embedded, the object becomes part of the destination file. When you double-click an embedded object, it opens in the program source program it was created in. Any changes you make to the embedded object are reflected in the destination file. When you want the information in your destination file to be updated when the data in the source file changes, use linked objects.

With a linked object, the original information remains stored in the source file. The destination file displays a representation of the linked information but stores only the location of the original data and the size if the object is an Excel chart object. The source file must remain available on your computer or network to maintain the link to the original data.

The linked information is updated automatically if you change the original data in the source file. For example, if you select a range of cells in an Excel workbook and then paste the cells as a linked object in a Word document, the information is updated in Word if you change the information in your workbook. You or other users who do not have access to the original data can open the file on another computer and view the embedded object. Because an embedded object has no links to the source file, the object is not updated if you change the original data.

To change an embedded object, double-click the object to open and edit it in the source program. The source program or another program capable of editing the object must be installed on your computer. The Edit Original command lets you open most graphics in the application in which you created them so that you can modify them as necessary.

Once you save the original file, the document in which you linked it is updated with the new version. In InDesign, if you check out and select a managed graphics frame one that has been exported to InCopy , rather than the graphic itself, the graphic opens in InCopy.

By default, InDesign relies on the operating system to determine which application is used when opening the original. In the Links panel, click the Edit Original button.

Legal Notices Online Privacy Policy. Buy now. Manage graphics links Search. About links and embedded graphics. Links panel overview. A linked file can appear in the Links panel in any of the following ways:. Up to Date. An up-to-date file is blank in the Status column. Use the Links panel. Each linked file and automatically embedded file is identified by name.

To select and view a linked graphic, select a link in the Links panel and then click the Go To Link button , click the page number of the link in the Page column, or choose Go To Link in the Links panel menu. InDesign centers the display around the selected graphic. To expand or collapse nested links, click the triangle icon to the left of the link. Nested links occur when the same graphic appears several times in the document or when the linked EPS graphic or InDesign document contains links.

To sort links in the panel, click the category title at the top of the Links panel to sort by that category. Click the same category again to reverse the order. For example, if you click the Page category, the links appear in their order from the first page to the last page. If you click Page again, the links are sorted from last page to first.

Use Panel Options to add columns to the Links panel. Work with Links panel columns. Choose Panel Options from the Links panel menu. Select the check boxes under Show Column to add columns in the Links panel. Click OK. Change the Links panel rows and thumbnails. For Thumbnails, determine whether thumbnail representations of the graphics appear in the Name column and in the Link Info section at the bottom of the Links panel.

Display link information. The Link Info section of the Links panel lists information about the selected linked file.

View metadata via the Links panel. Embed an image within the document. Embedding a file increases the document file size. Embed a linked file.

Select a file in the Links panel. Do any of the following:. Choose Embed Link in the Links panel menu. Unembed a linked file. Select one or more embedded files in the Links panel. Do one of the following:. Choose to link the file to the original file or to a folder InDesign creates from the embedded data stored in the document. Update, restore, and replace links. Choose how relinked graphics are scaled. Update modified links. In the Links panel, do one of the following:. Replace a link with a different source file.

Select any link in the Links panel, and click the Relink button or choose Relink from the Links panel menu. Relink is disabled in managed stories unless a story is checked out. In the dialog box that appears, select Search For Missing Links In This Folder if you want InDesign to search the folder for files that have the same names as other missing linked files. If this option is not selected, only the selected image is relinked.

Choose Show Import Options to control how the new source file is imported. Locate and double-click the new source file. Choose import options if you clicked the Show Import options option.

See Import options for graphics. Restore missing links. To restore a missing link, select any link marked with the missing link icon in the Links panel, and click the Relink button. Active 2 years, 2 months ago. Viewed 4k times. So what's the difference between them and is their any specific use of each of them? Improve this question. Vikas Vikas 4, 1 1 gold badge 17 17 silver badges 39 39 bronze badges.

Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Pros: The content is a persistent part of your working file Cons: It can greatly increase your filesize. Pros: Placed objects won't appreciably affect your filesize. Placed objects will live-update to reflect any changes made to them Cons: If opened from another computer or the location of the original content you placed changes, the link will break and the object will not show up in your Photoshop file until they're relinked.

Improve this answer. Joshjurg Joshjurg 2 2 silver badges 12 12 bronze badges. I just experimented. Placed linked image. Saved and closed PSD. Deleted the original linked file and opened the PSD again. I see the warning on Layer panel, but the image visually is still there.