Delete missing link from AI file

[sewer_urchin]

How do I delete a missing, unwanted linked file from an AI file? The referenced link is completely gone and is not needed. It can't be relinked or removed since it no longer exists. It is has been a phantom for as long as I have been using the AI file and I would like to clear the "Could not find the linked file" pop up every time I load the AI file. Any suggestions?

[_scott__]

Is it present in the Links Panel? Drag it to the trash icon on the panel.

[sewer_urchin]

There isn't any trash icon in the panel window. Only four options are available: relink, go to link, update link and edit original and only the first two are active.

[_scott__]

Okay... click the second from the left button.. that will take you tot he place on the artboard where the linked file is. Then you can select and delete it.

[sewer_urchin]

I'm afraid the "Go to Link" button takes me nowhere. I can select and click on it but nothing happens. The window that would normally open that shows the link location never appears.

I resolved the glitch by rebuilding the original AI file layer by layer until I found the layer that had the phantom linked file. Took me a while but it solved the problem. Thanks for your help Scott.

[Jesseham]

This can happen if the missing link object is locked.  Unlock all, ("Object->unlock all" or Command-Shift-2)  and then use the "go to link" button to select it.

[Larry G. Schneider]

And before using the "Go to Link" command try zooming in to as small a view as possible (6400%). Unless you accidentally picked the exact spot of the missing link file, it should move the view so the anchor point or center of the file is centered in the window. I find it useful to do this especially with lost fonts which often are just stray anchor points.

[mnitzberg]

Bingo!

[badus91583618]

Worked for me! Thanks!

[yo_paisan]

Looks like what you have to do is find the layer that the objects are linked to and trash the layers...  They may be on layers you're not using or have turned off so you have to check them all...

[ramblerdan]

I have the same problem as the OP. All I want to do is remove the links. The linked files are long gone and have no value anyway. I can't delete layers of the image, because they =are= needed. Adobe didn't see fit to put a trash can at the bottom of the links window, how do we delete the links, and only the links?

[image-object]

I was having the same issue and could not "unlock" or drag the broken links to the trash can. My solution was to update the links to an existing image file, and then delete the image from the artboard. That removed it from the link panel for me.

[ramblerdan]

This is the method I received from Adobe:

> After opening the file, select one of the missing linked files. Click

> the "Linked File" hyperlink in the bar under the menu. A dialog will pop

> up listing linked files, missing ones with a red cross. If you layer's

> panel is open, you can go through the missing linked files by using the

> "Go To Link" button at the bottom of that dialog, select the linked file

> in the layer's panel and use its trashcan.

>

> Rinse and repeat.

Worked for me. BTW the Illustrator file I was working on (and which I did not create) had more than 250 linked files, which I deleted one at a time according to the method. So it's clear why it would be advantageous to have a "select all broken links" / "delete all" option.

[johnyct97600]

There really should be a trash on there....2 ver after your post nothing yet

[michaelk84602128]

ramblerdan‌ Thanks!

[Tresfjording]

The images are there.

Just CRTL-A to mark everything and you see where the images are.

Then you can select the image you want to remove, and the link vanishes too.

Good Luck ...

[CEE-2]

Thank you yo-paisan! This is where the problem is. 

[idoks]

It's so funny to me that people still comment on this thread. 2011 is when it started, and yet this error still exists. While it's a common sight on Adobe's apps, in this case it's not because an unresolved bug, it is because it's fundemantle part of the system, and a very flawed one. Links breaks, this is a truth Adobe never really cared about, or at least cared too little down the line. The truth is this very bug, that ruined me months of work, is the reason why I left Adobe for good. After more than a decade of work with it and countless escalations support cases to the highest levels, that was the last straw. In 2020 I moved to Affinity Designer and never looked back. There, like on all modern software, there are no links to files. Just files as part of the main file or package. It's the only logical way to work, and it has been for a long time. The only thing Adobe is good for is Firefly, that is not even related to Illustrator. I can't recommend it enough: Affinity. Do yourself a favor and move, just a little time to get used to it and you'll thank me. It saved my sanity and work, it can do the same to you.

[irenekorovchenko]

Thanks! This actions work. But I have to do something more. Firstly, click Object - Unlock All, and, secondly, click Object - Show All. Then you could go to link and delete it. If it doesn't work - relink on something else to see linked file and delete the link finally. Hope it will help. Best regards!

[Thera]

An easier way I just discovered for Adobe Illustrator CC:

* click Window - Links (to open Link window)

* click 3rd icon from the left "Go To Link" option (this shows you the selection of what's missing on the artboard)

* press Delete key on your keyboard to delete missing from the artboard (this will automatically delete its link in the Link window)

* save file

Tada!

[uhebeisen]

I have almost the same problem and I couldn't solve it. Problem is that I have deleted the layer(s) that had the linked files in it. The images are scanned artwork and after placing them in the layer I draw the shapes as an Illustrator vector file. When everything is done I delete the layers with the scanned files.

Since I'm working with custom patterns and brushes usually I copy such a file and start a new project. Now if I check the link window there are 5 linked images from a previous project. Until now I couldn't delete these links. If I handle such a project file over to my customer he always gets these error messages that the linked file couldn't be found. Sure he can check to ignore them all but it doesn't look very professional that way.

How can I get rid of these brocken links?

[xslcx · Accepted solution]

Click on Object>Show All from top menu. Now you can see and select the empty container or embedded images or links that show up, and hit delete.

[deslie]

The "Object > Show All" is the answer for broken/missing link that is unclickable/undraggable and can't delete for unknown reason. thank u

[Cesxx]

OMG! You're a life saver 🙂 Thanks! 

[adixon289]

This was the only solution that worked for me! THANK YOU!!