Embroidery file format finder
Pick your machine brand to see which embroidery file format to download, or type an unfamiliar extension to find out what it is and which machines use it.
Quick answer
Download your machine's native format: PES for Brother and Baby Lock, JEF for Janome, EXP for BERNINA (and Melco), VP3 for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff, XXX for many Singer models, and DST for most commercial multi-needle machines. Many machines read other formats too, but support varies by model, so confirm the list in your manual.
Find your machine's formats
Confirm in your manual. This finder gives the usual native format for each brand and the formats that are commonly readable. Support varies by model and age, newer models may read more formats than listed here, and some older ones read fewer. The list of readable formats in your machine's manual is the final word.
Formats by machine brand
The finder uses the mapping from our guide to embroidery file formats. "Native" means the format the brand's machines and software are built around, usually the one the machine writes back to a USB stick.
| Machine brand | Usual native format | Also commonly readable | Older formats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother, Baby Lock | PES | DST on many models | PEC |
| Janome, Elna | JEF (many Elna models) | Check the manual | SEW |
| Husqvarna Viking | VP3 | Check the manual | HUS, VIP, SHV |
| Pfaff | VP3 | Check the manual | VIP, PCS |
| BERNINA | EXP (with INF and BMP) | ART on some machines; newer models read more | Check the manual |
| Singer | XXX on many models | Some newer models are built around other formats | Check the manual |
| Tajima | DST | Check the manual | Check the manual |
| Melco | EXP | DST in most commercial workflows | Check the manual |
| Barudan, ZSK, Happy, SWF, Ricoma and other commercial brands | Own native formats | DST | Check the manual |
"Check the manual" means we cannot state one answer for the whole brand, not that the machine reads nothing else.
Extension lookup table
| Extension | Origin | Type | Used by |
|---|---|---|---|
| .PES | Brother | Stitch | Brother and Baby Lock |
| .PEC | Brother | Stitch | Older Brother and Baby Lock machines, memory cards |
| .DST | Tajima | Stitch | Most commercial machines, many home machines |
| .EXP | Melco | Stitch | Melco commercial; BERNINA home machines |
| .JEF | Janome | Stitch | Janome and many Elna machines |
| .SEW | Janome | Stitch | Older Janome and Elna machines |
| .VP3 | Husqvarna Viking / Pfaff | Stitch | Current Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff |
| .VIP | Husqvarna Viking / Pfaff | Stitch | Older Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff |
| .HUS, .SHV | Husqvarna Viking | Stitch | Older Husqvarna Viking machines |
| .PCS | Pfaff | Stitch | Older Pfaff machines |
| .XXX | Singer (from Compucon software) | Stitch | Many Singer machines |
| .ART | BERNINA | Object | BERNINA Embroidery Software; some BERNINA machines |
| .EMB | Wilcom | Object | Wilcom EmbroideryStudio and Hatch |
| .PXF | Pulse | Object | Pulse digitizing software |
The lookup also recognizes the files that usually travel with a design: INF (BERNINA color information), BMP (a preview picture), PDF (color chart and instructions), ZIP (the download itself) and image files such as JPG, PNG and SVG, which are artwork and have to be digitized before any machine can sew them.
How to use the result
- Download the native format first. It carries the color list and, in some formats, the hoop information your machine expects, so there is nothing to convert.
- Fall back to a readable format your manual lists if the native one is not offered, and expect to reassign colors (DST and EXP carry none).
- Convert on a computer if neither is available. Converting between stitch formats is usually safe; the conversion guide covers colors and trims.
- Keep the DST as well when a shop offers a zip of every format. If you change brands or send the job to a multi-needle shop, DST is what every machine and program reads.
- Test a small design before buying a large set, and confirm it opens and stitches at the expected size.
What the finder cannot tell you
- Your exact model's list. The finder works by brand. Readable formats change between models and generations, so the manual's specification page or embroidery chapter is the final word.
- Whether a design fits. A design in the right format can still be refused if it is larger than your sewing field, or if its recorded hoop (JEF especially) is larger than your machine supports. Check with the hoop size checker and see hoop and design errors.
- The intended thread colors. Screen colors come from each brand's thread chart, or from nowhere at all in DST. Trust the printed color chart, and use thread color conversion if you stock a different brand.
- Whether your software can write the format. If you edit designs on a computer, see embroidery software for what to check.
Frequently asked questions
Can my machine read a format that is not its native one?
Often, yes. Many Brother and Baby Lock machines read DST as well as PES, and newer BERNINA models read more than EXP. Support varies by model and age, so check the readable formats listed in your manual. If your model does not list a format, convert it on a computer first.
What should I do with a design that only comes in DST?
Use it directly if your machine reads DST, or convert it to your native format on a computer. Either way, DST has no thread colors, so follow the design's color chart and assign colors yourself. See converting file formats.
Why are there INF and BMP files with my BERNINA design?
An EXP file holds only stitches. BERNINA design sets often add an INF file with color information and a BMP preview picture. Keep all three together, with matching names, in the same folder.
Can I stitch an EMB or ART file?
Not on most machines. EMB and ART are object files: editable shapes that software turns into stitches. Export a stitch file such as PES, EXP or DST from the program that made it. Some BERNINA machines also read ART, so check your manual.
Sources and further reading
- Brother USA home embroidery machine manuals and supported formats
- Tajima origin of the DST format used across commercial machines
- Ink/Stitch open-source digitizer with documentation on the file formats it reads and writes
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