How can you embed an image in Illustrator? If you have been working with images in Illustrator, then send the source file to someone else to edit on another computer; some images can appear to be missing from the file.
This is because Illustrator does not import images to its interface; rather, it links to the path and location where the image is saved.
If you delete or move the file from the original location, the image stops being displayed in Illustrator. To solve this, you need to understand how to embed images in Adobe Illustrator.
We will place an image on the artboard to explain easily. All images in Illustrator can be viewed from the Links panel. To open it, go to Window > Links.
Embedding an Image in Illustrator
The first way to embed an image is by clicking embed on the top bar with the image selected. When you place the image on the artboard and select it, you will notice a button labeled Embed on the top bar of Illustrator. When you click on it, the image is embedded.
Step 1: Go to File > Place to import your image.
Step 2: Select the image you intend to embed.
Step 3: Click Embed on the top bar.
How to Embed an Image from the Links Panel
After placing the image, I got Window>Links to bring up the links panel. Click V to pick the selection tool, then select the image. Click the 3 lines on the top right of the links panel and choose Embed Image.
Step 1: Go to File > Place to import your image.
Step 2: Go to Window > Links to bring up a menu.
Step 3: Select the image you intend to embed on the links menu.
Step 4: Click the 3 lines in the top right corner of the links panel. Then choose embed image
How Can You Know if an Image is Embedded?
You can tell whether the image is embedded by going to the links panel. You will notice the embedded image has an icon at the far right, like below. The unembedded image is blank at the right end of the links panel.
To know whether the image is embedded or not, go to the selection tool or shortcut V. Just click on your image in the design to select it. If it is not embedded, it will have an X-shaped line over it. If embedded, it will only have a border selection.
What does embed an image in Illustrator mean?
As a regular graphic designer, I always have to modify images to edit them in the future, especially when creating social media posts. Here are some instances where I had to embed images in my designs.
When you embed an image, it means that your image is saved in your Illustrator source file and can be used independently, even away from your computer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to embed an image in Illustrator?
When you have images embedded, you can easily edit the file from another computer without having to look for the images again. Failure to embed images will force you to look for images again and redo your design on another computer.