Object linking and embedding (OLE) (Windows only)
- Linking lets you place a link in the OLE container file that refers to the Photoshop file on the hard drive.
- Embedding lets you insert the Photoshop file into the OLE container file.
Photoshop is an OLE 2.0 server, which means it supports embedding or linking an image in an OLE container application (usually a word-processor or page-layout program). For example, you can insert Photoshop files and selections into other OLE applications such as Adobe PageMaker, Adobe FrameMaker, and Microsoft Word using copy and paste or other methods.
Once in the container application, an image can be double-clicked for editing in Photoshop. When closed in Photoshop, the image is updated in the container application.
To link or embed a selection or image in an OLE application:
- Copy a selection in Photoshop, and insert it in your OLE container application using the application's Paste Special command. Refer to your word-processing or page-layout application documentation for more instructions. Pasted selections can only be embedded, not linked.
- Use your OLE container application's Insert Object command to insert a new Photoshop image or existing Photoshop file as an OLE-embedded or OLE-linked object. Refer to your word-processing or page-layout application documentation for instructions.
Do one of the following:
To insert an unlinked screen-resolution bitmap into an OLE application:
With the Move tool 
, drag a selection to the OLE container application. When you drop the object, it appears as a 72-ppi bitmap, which cannot be automatically updated in Photoshop.
To modify and update a linked or embedded image in an OLE application:
- Double-click the linked or embedded image in your word-processor or page-layout application to launch Photoshop (if it is not already running), and open the image for editing.
- Modify the image as desired.
- Do one of the following:
- For embedded images, close the file, or choose File > Update or File > Close & Return to application name.
- For linked images, save and close the file.
Note: You can also modify linked files without first opening the container document. The linked image will be updated the next time you open the document in its OLE container application.