It seems that there is a bug with \textwidth and \linewidth inside mixed columns. Minimum working example: % interface=en output=pdftex \definemixedcolumns[StyleColumns][ n=2, separator=rule, align=tolerant, before={\blank[big]},] \setupexternalfigures[ order={svg,pdf,png,jpg}, location=global, %wfactor=fit,] \setuphead[section][ after={\startStyleColumns}, aftersection={\stopStyleColumns},] \starttext \startbodymatter \setuppagenumbering[conversion=numbers] \setcounter[userpage][1] \startchapter[ title={Chapter}, reference=sec:chapter, ] \startsection[ title={Section}, reference=sec:chapter, ] \placefigure[]{}{% \externalfigure[sheep.jpg][ width=\textwidth, ] } \startsubsection[ title={Equipment}, reference=sec:equipment,] \input knuth \stopsubsection \stopsection \stopchapter\stopbodymatter \stoptext Actual results: the image appears as "undefined". Expected results: the image appears, stretched to fill the column. Work around 1: use wfactor. Work around 2: \defineexternalfigure[fullwidth][factor=fit] and then use \externalfigure[file.jpg][fullwidth] Kind regards.