MetadataLinks

Links Fields

The Links field displays the files linked into the current document — for example, placed images, graphics, or other assets embedded by reference in an InDesign or Illustrator document. It is a read-only field that shows what the document references, not the embedded content itself.

Note: Links fields are read-only and are not available in Lightroom Classic.

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What Links Shows

Each linked item appears in a scrollable list with:

• Thumbnail — A small preview image, if available. Common image formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG) are read directly from disk. For other file types, a colored file-type badge (e.g., PDF, AI, MOV) is shown instead.
• Filename — The name of the linked file.
• Status indicator — If the linked file cannot be found at its recorded path, an alert icon is shown. The row is also visually dimmed.

The list is collapsible. A count of the total number of linked items is shown in the header.

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Interacting with Links

In Adobe Bridge:

Clicking a linked item navigates the Bridge content panel to that file's location, so you can inspect or select it directly. A return bar appears at the top of the list, letting you navigate back to the original document.

In other host applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro):

• Click — Selects the first instance of the linked item in the active document.
• Option+click (Mac) / Alt+click (Windows) — Opens the linked file in its native application.

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Exporting a Links Report

Click the Export Report button (download icon) in the field header to save a plain-text report listing the document path and all linked file paths. This is useful for production handoffs or pre-press checks.

In Adobe Bridge only, a Show in Collection button is also available. Clicking it creates a Bridge collection containing all linked files that are currently accessible on disk, so you can review them together in one place.

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Configuring a Links Field

The Links field does not read from XMP properties — it queries the host application or document structure directly. You only need to provide a Display Name.

• Display Name — The label that appears above the links list in the View.

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Supported Applications

Application	Supported
Adobe Bridge	✓
Adobe Photoshop	✓
Adobe Illustrator	✓
Adobe InDesign	✓
Adobe Premiere Pro	✓
Lightroom Classic	✗