Which of the following is a benefit of using a Linked Smart Object in Photoshop?

• A. The Smart Object automatically updates when the source file changes
• B. Linked Smart Objects cannot be transformed non-destructively
• C. They prevent any further edits
• D. Linked Smart Objects increase file size without benefits

Answer: (A)

Linked Smart Objects are designed to keep a live link to an external source, so a key benefit is that the object can automatically update when the original file changes. This means any edits you make to the source—such as a logo or artwork created in another program—can propagate to your Photoshop document without reimporting or recreating the object. It’s a powerful way to maintain consistency across multiple designs because you update the source once and all linked instances reflect those changes after you refresh.

This works alongside the non-destructive editing mindset of Smart Objects. You can scale, transform, or apply filters to a Linked Smart Object without permanently altering the original artwork, preserving the ability to adjust later. The other statements miss the main advantage: transforming non-destructively is a feature of Smart Objects in general, editing content is still possible, and linking instead of embedding doesn’t inherently increase file size in a way that negates benefits; the linked approach actually helps keep PSD sizes smaller by not embedding large content.