How to Resolve Link Errors in InDesign When Files Are in the Correct Location

Report · Feb 25, 2024

Greetings, ID Community,

I'm relatively certain that this error is quite common, but I was unable to locate any previous thread discussing and/or solving it.

The short story is that InDesign claims that links for several Placed images (using File>Place) are broken; i.e. ID claims that the files are no longer in the linked locations and thus need to be re-linked. However, a quick check on Windows (10) File Explorer shows that said files are precisely where they need to be. I shall of course provide illustrations.

How can I fix this? I appreciate your attention and any assistance.

My question: How can I

Report · Feb 25, 2024

Your two screenshots show the link in a different subfolder from the folder being identified in the Windows Explorer view. They appear to be one subfolder different from each other.

And while the Update Link button may be grayed out, what about clicking the Relink button?

Mike Witherell

Report · Feb 25, 2024

Mike, thank you for replying so quickly. But after rechecking both images, they are in fact the same path; it's just that File Explorer displays the path differently from InDesign.

FE: Fifth_Edition (D:\DQ) - The file "characters_01.jpg" is located in a subfolder called "Fifth_Edition" located under folder "DQ" which is located on drive "D".

ID: The path to the linked file "characters_01.jpg" is "D\DQ\Fifth_Edition\characters_01.jpg". "characters_01.jpg" could not be a subfolder because I don't have one on drive D: by that name.

Failing to mention that I did in fact try the Relink function before posting was oversight on my part. The correct folder and subfolder do pop up, but from InDesign the file (and the four others listed as broken links) do not appear. So my unseasoned opinion is that there is some kind of ID metadata or DLL that is not correctly communicating with Windows 10.

Temporary workaround: Created a brand new subfolder under DQ and called it InDesign Links. Then moved all the necessary image files into there. Then re-linked. ID can see these.

Regards,
- WH

Report · Feb 25, 2024

Me again. Inexplicably, there seems to be no clear method for editing one's own post, but in case it's unclear, I had intended to delete the last (unfinished) line of my post so as not to appear redundant -WH