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How Do You Stroke a Linked Image in Illustrator?

Published in Image Editing 2 mins read

You can't directly stroke a linked image in Adobe Illustrator. Linked images are treated as separate objects, and Illustrator's stroke functionality only applies to vector objects.

Here's how to achieve a similar effect:

  • Create a copy: Duplicate the linked image by dragging it while holding down the Alt key.
  • Convert to vector: Right-click the copied image and select "Create Outline." This will convert the image to a vector object.
  • Apply a stroke: Select the converted image and use the Stroke panel to apply a stroke of your desired color, width, and style.

Alternatively, you can:

  • Apply a stroke to a shape: Create a shape (e.g., rectangle) over your linked image, and apply a stroke to the shape instead.
  • Use a clipping mask: Create a shape that covers the area you want to stroke, apply a stroke to the shape, and then use the shape as a clipping mask for the linked image.

Remember, these methods will create a stroke effect around the image, but the image itself will remain unchanged.

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