How to Embed Smart Objects in Photoshop?

Embedding a Smart Object in Photoshop essentially incorporates the object's contents directly into your main Photoshop document (.psd file). This differs from linking, where the Smart Object points to an external file.

Here's how you can embed Smart Objects:

Understanding Embedded vs. Linked Smart Objects

Before embedding, it's helpful to know the difference:

• Embedded Smart Object: The contents are saved within the main .psd file. The file size increases, but the Smart Object is self-contained and doesn't rely on external files. All instances of an embedded Smart Object in the same document are synchronized internally.
• Linked Smart Object: The Smart Object points to an external file (.psb, .ai, etc.). This keeps the .psd file smaller and allows for updates to the external file to automatically reflect in the Smart Object within Photoshop.

Here's a quick comparison:

Feature	Embedded Smart Object	Linked Smart Object
Location	Within the main PSD file	Points to an external file
File Size	Increases main PSD size	Keeps main PSD size smaller
External Link	No external dependency	Depends on external file location
Updates	Updates affect only this PSD	Updates to external file sync here
Portability	Easier to share (self-contained)	Requires sharing the external file too

Methods for Embedding Smart Objects

There are a couple of ways to embed Smart Objects in Photoshop, depending on whether you are creating a new one or dealing with existing linked instances.

1. Converting a Layer to an Embedded Smart Object

This is the most common way to create an initially embedded Smart Object from existing layers:

1. Select the layer(s) you want to convert in the Layers panel.
2. Right-click on the selected layer(s).
3. Choose Convert to Smart Object.

The selected layers will be replaced by a single Smart Object layer, and its contents are now embedded within your document.

2. Embedding an Existing Linked Smart Object

If you have a Smart Object that is currently linked to an external file, you can change it to an embedded one:

1. Select the Smart Object layer in the Layers panel.
2. Right-click on the layer.
3. Choose Embed Smart Object.

Photoshop will incorporate the contents of the external file into your main document, and the Smart Object will no longer be linked externally.

3. Embedding Multiple Instances of a Linked Smart Object (Reference Method)

Sometimes you might have multiple layers that are instances of the same linked Smart Object. If you want to embed all of them at once, follow this specific process, based on the provided reference:

1. Open one instance of the Smart Object (double-click the Smart Object thumbnail in the Layers panel).
2. Save its content as a new Photoshop file (.psd) or Large Document Format file (.psb) somewhere accessible on your drive. Close the Smart Object file.
3. In your main document, Right-click on each Smart Object layer that is an instance of the one you saved in step 2.
4. Choose Relink to File... and select the .psd or .psb file you saved in step 2. This ensures all the instances you want to embed are pointing to the same source file.
5. Once all instances you want to embed have been relinked to that specific file, Right-click on one of these instances in the Layers panel.
6. Choose Embed Smart Object.

As stated in the reference, this embeds all instances that were linked to that particular external file.

When to Embed vs. Link

• Embed when:
  • The Smart Object content is unique to this document.
  • You need to share the main .psd file easily without external dependencies.
  • File size increase is not a major concern.
• Link when:
  • You use the same asset across multiple Photoshop documents.
  • The external asset might be updated frequently.
  • Keeping main .psd file size down is critical.
  • You work with large, complex vector files (like from Adobe Illustrator).

By understanding these methods, you can effectively manage Smart Objects in your Photoshop workflow.