Check Linked Images Before Exporting an Illustrated Book

Before exporting an illustrated book, confirm that every placed image refers to the accepted asset and that the layout can access the required file. Review missing-link or update notices, inspect replacements in context, and check the exported result independently. A visible preview in the editor does not by itself establish that the final output contains the correct image version.

Identify how the layout stores its images

Determine whether your workflow embeds image data, links to external files, or uses a mixture of both. The distinction affects what must travel with the editable project and how later replacements reach the layout. Review the behavior of the actual tool rather than assuming all applications handle images identically. Keep the accepted originals available regardless of the storage method used by the document.

Create a simple mapping between each important image slot and its accepted asset. Include a stable identifier and enough context to locate it in the manuscript. A folder containing several similarly named alternatives is not a reliable record of which one was approved. The mapping should distinguish the accepted version from experiments, previews, and earlier images retained for reference.

Resolve notices without guessing at replacements

Review any missing, modified, or unavailable asset notices before export. Find the intended accepted file using the project record. Avoid reconnecting a missing image to the first visually similar file you encounter, especially when several revisions differ only in a label or technical detail. A plausible-looking replacement can reintroduce an error that an earlier review already resolved.

After reconnecting or updating an asset, inspect the placed result. Check that the crop, scale, orientation, and surrounding layout remain appropriate. Replacing a file with different proportions can change the visible area even when the new image itself is correct. Record meaningful replacements so another contributor can understand why the layout now points to a different source.

Confirm that the visible content matches the accepted task

Read the nearby instructions and caption while examining the image. Verify the details that matter to the reader: labels, sequence, objects, and any result the illustration demonstrates. This is especially important when the layout still displays a cached preview or when an updated file retains the same name. File availability and semantic correctness are different checks.

Use a concrete acceptance note for complex illustrations. For example, a diagram may need to show the open side of a container facing the reader because the following instruction depends on that orientation. Compare the placed image with that requirement rather than approving it solely because it looks sharp. A clean technical asset can still teach the wrong action if it belongs to an earlier version of the text.

Inspect the export at the intended reading scale

Export the intended format and open the result outside the editing workspace. Review each updated or previously problematic image and sample the rest of the illustrated sections. Check the actual output for missing content, unintended cropping, misplaced captions, and details that became difficult to read. A successful export message confirms completion of the operation, not the quality of every page it produced.

Use current KDP preparation guidance for the actual publication format when assessing technical image requirements. Do not infer compliance from the asset’s filename, a past project’s settings, or its appearance on a large monitor. Keep the technical checks connected to the final output and configuration. When a defect requires a source change, repair the maintained project and export again so the accepted file can be reproduced.

Preserve the dependencies for future revisions

Save the editable layout with the accepted asset set and a clear record of how to reconnect any external dependencies. If the tool provides a project-packaging function, inspect what the package contains before relying on it. The goal is to make the next revision possible without reconstructing missing files from a low-quality preview or guessing which contributor still holds the original.

Identify the exported version that passed review and keep it separate from working outputs. When later text or artwork changes, update the mapping and reopen the relevant checks. An asset inventory becomes useful production evidence only when it stays connected to the files actually placed in the book. That continuity helps preserve accepted illustrations through handoffs, software changes, and future editions.