Effortlessly Reuse Design Elements in Adobe XD with Linked Assets

Updated at: 18/06/2025

Tired of repetitive design tasks in Adobe XD? Linked Assets are your secret weapon for streamlined efficiency. This article reveals how to effortlessly reuse design elements across multiple artboards and projects. Save time, maintain consistency, and boost your workflow with this simple yet powerful feature. Learn how to link assets, update them globally, and unlock the true potential of your XD projects. Let's get started!

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Prepare Source Document

    • Open your Adobe XD document containing design elements (colors, character styles, components).
    • Add your desired colors, character styles, and components to the Assets panel.
    • Save your XD document as a Creative Cloud document.
    Save your XD document as a Creative Cloud document. Save your XD document as a Creative Cloud document. Save your XD document as a Creative Cloud document.
    Prepare Source Document

  2. Create New Project

    • Create a new Adobe XD document.
    Create a new Adobe XD document.
    Create New Project

  3. Link Assets

    • In the Assets panel of your new document, click the "Link Assets" button.
    • Select your saved Creative Cloud document from the list.
    Select your saved Creative Cloud document from the list. Select your saved Creative Cloud document from the list.
    Link Assets

  4. Use Linked Assets

    • Drag and drop the linked assets onto your new design canvas.
    Drag and drop the linked assets onto your new design canvas.
    Use Linked Assets

  5. Edit Master Components

    • To edit a master component, select it in the Assets panel and click "Edit Master in Source Document".
    • Make your edits in the source document. Changes are automatically saved to the cloud.
    Make your edits in the source document. Changes are automatically saved to the cloud. Make your edits in the source document. Changes are automatically saved to the cloud.
    Edit Master Components

  6. Update Linked Assets

    • In your working project, review and accept the updated linked assets.
    In your working project, review and accept the updated linked assets.
    Update Linked Assets
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Tips

  • Organize your assets neatly in the source document for efficient management.
  • Saving your assets as a Creative Cloud document ensures accessibility from any device.
  • Utilize the "Edit Master in Source Document" feature for seamless updates to master components.
  • The "Update" button allows you to accept all changes at once or individually.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting to Update Linked Assets

Reason: Changes made to the master asset aren't reflected in instances across the design unless you manually update or choose auto-update.
Solution: Manually update linked assets or enable auto-update in XD's preferences to ensure consistency.

2. Incorrectly Linking Assets

Reason: Linking the wrong file or a file that is moved or deleted will break the link and cause inconsistencies across the design.
Solution: Double-check file paths and ensure linked assets remain in their original locations or update the links accordingly.

FAQs

What happens if I modify a linked asset in its original location? Does it update everywhere?
Yes! That's the beauty of linked assets. Any changes you make to the original asset will automatically update across all instances where it's linked. This ensures design consistency and saves you from making the same edits multiple times.