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How to Embed Images in Illustrator

Embedding image files can be vital to sharing your project with a client or collaborator outside of the Creative Cloud. Let’s walk through the steps for embedding images into Adobe Illustrator.

Adobe Illustrator has a massive toolkit for creating, sharing and editing graphics and illustrations. It also allows you to paste separate image files into a project. You can combine logos, text, cartoons, 3D graphics, and photographs together as you see fit. Illustrator has a feature to ensure your designs make it to a collaborator or client with the image files embedded into the project file. Save yourself and your fellow Illustrator users the woe of unlinked media. Below, we’ve shared how to embed images in Illustrator, so that they’re contained in a project at full resolution.  


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When to Embed the Images in Illustrator

We recommend waiting until you’ve completed the project before embedding the image file. The Embed option is designed so that if you share an Illustrator project file with another user, the image will be included. While you’re still working on the project, however, there’s no need to embed any images. It is still important to save your project frequently. Waiting to embed the images will make sure you have a lighter load on your CPU as you are designing.

Step 1: Prep the Image

Before launching Illustrator, we recommend prepping the image that you’d like to embed. Illustrator isn’t designed for photo editing, so it’s easier to use Photoshop or a generic editing program to take care of any cropping, contrast, color balance and other important photo edits. For best results, you should use images with 300 DPI (dots per inch) or higher.

Step 2: Add a New Layer in Illustrator

Now, launch Illustrator and go to “Window” > “Layers” to show the Layers panel, if it isn’t already visible. Click the “Add New Layer” icon located on the bottom right side of the panel (it looks like a piece of paper with one corner folded over).    

Step 3: Insert the Image File

With your new layer selected, choose “File” > “Place” to insert your image file. A file directory will appear, allowing you to locate the Illustrator project folder. Click on the image thumbnail, and then click “Place”. The image should now appear on your artboard with a red border and an X through the middle.  

Step 4: Scale, Align, Rotate

If necessary, you can click and drag on the image corners to adjust the dimensions, or change the image alignment with the Transform Palette. Typically found in the program’s upper right corner, the Transform Palette has options for aligning, resizing, and rotating your image.   

Step 5: Embed Images in Illustrator

Make sure that your image is selected (there should still be a red border around it), and choose “Embed” from the top toolbar. This will ensure that the image is actually included in your Illustrator file. 

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