If you share a file created in AI and find that photos or images are missing or you receive a missing link error, embedding your image may correct this.
Sometimes you need to insert another image into an illustrator file. To make sure your inserted image is still visible when the file is sent, you should always embed the image within the file. Anyone who received the file without embedded images may receive a "missing link" error and the image would appear blank as AI is looking for that file on their computer and isn't finding it. Lets go over how to embed that file so it will appear correctly when shared.
Open your working illustrator file. If you haven't already add your new image to the illustrator file. Here we're adding in a t-shirt background to create a mock up of the design.
On the top of your program go to the Window tab, from the dropdown click Links. This will open a new small window.
On the links window, Hold shift and click all linked images then click the three dashed lines on the top right and select Embed Images.
It's as easy as that! Now you can send the file without the images within disappearing. The cross on the inserted image should also disappear showing the image is embedded.
From this:
To this:
If your file is rather big and complex you may want to instead create a packaged version of your file to share. Packaged files save the live font information so it's great for sharing working files. This can be created under File>Package option. All inserted imaged must be embedded for AI to allow you to package files.
FM does not accept packaged files for submission for print so please remember to convert live fonts to shapes or outlines and as in this article embed any images added or placed into the file. We love .pdf files so if you can save as a .pdf thats great! From there you are good to go! Happy making!