# EPUBCheck OPF-097: manifest file never used, how to fix it

Source: https://epubcc.com/epubcheck/opf-097/ (updated 2026-11-04)

EPUBCheck OPF-097 is a usage message: “Resource "…" is listed in the manifest, but no reference to it was found in content documents.” A file is listed in the manifest but nothing in the content references it. It is a usage note (shown with -u): the file is valid but probably unused, which makes the EPUB larger for no reason.

- Official message (EPUBCheck 5.4.0): Resource "%1$s" is listed in the manifest, but no reference to it was found in content documents.
- Default severity: Usage

## Typical causes

- Images, fonts or stylesheets left after editing.
- Files a template adds to every book.
- A reference written in a way EPUBCheck cannot follow, such as from a script.

## How to fix it

1. Read the file EPUBCheck names.
2. If the book does not need it, delete the file and its manifest item.
3. If it is needed, make sure the content references it with a correct path.

## When it's not this

If a file is in the archive but missing from the manifest, that is OPF-003, the opposite case.

## Sources

- EPUB 3.3, §5.6.2 The item element: https://www.w3.org/TR/epub-33/#sec-item-elem (read 2026-11-04)

Message text and severity: EPUBCheck (W3C, BSD-3-Clause). Explanation: EpubCC.