Embroidery file formats
Every embroidery machine brand has its own file format. They all describe the same thing (stitches, jumps, trims and color changes) but encode it differently, and they differ in what extra information they keep, especially thread colors.
Not sure which one you need? Check the machine table. Want to know the difference between a stitch file and a working file? Read the basics.
| Format | Main brands | Type | Colors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .DST Tajima Data Stitch | Tajima | Stitch file | No colors (stops only) | current |
| .PES Brother Embroidery Format | Brother | Stitch file | Full colors | current |
| .PEC Brother PEC | Brother | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | legacy |
| .JEF Janome Embroidery Format | Janome | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | current |
| .SEW Janome SEW | Janome (older Memory Craft models) | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | legacy |
| .EXP Melco Expanded | Melco | Stitch file | No colors (stops only) | current |
| .VP3 Pfaff / Husqvarna Viking VP3 | Husqvarna Viking | Stitch file | Full colors | current |
| .HUS Husqvarna Viking HUS | Husqvarna Viking (Designer, Rose, Lily, Orchidea and others) | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | legacy |
| .SHV Husqvarna Viking SHV | Husqvarna Viking Designer I | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | legacy |
| .VIP Pfaff / Viking VIP | Husqvarna Viking | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | legacy |
| .PCS Pfaff PCS | Pfaff (older creative models such as the 7570) | Stitch file | Full colors | legacy |
| .KSM Pfaff professional KSM | Pfaff professional machines | Stitch file | No colors (stops only) | legacy |
| .XXX Singer XXX | Singer (Futura, and models using Singer's Compucon-based software) | Stitch file | Full colors | current |
| .CSD Singer / Poem / Huskygram CSD | Singer (older) | Stitch file | Fixed brand palette | legacy |
| .DSB / DSZ Barudan and ZSK variants of DST | Barudan (DSB) | Stitch file | No colors (stops only) | current |
| .U01 Barudan U01 | Barudan | Stitch file | No colors (stops only) | current |
| .TAP Happy TAP | Happy Japan | Stitch file | No colors (stops only) | current |
| .ART Bernina ART (working file) | Bernina embroidery software | Working file | Full colors | current |
| .EMB Wilcom EMB (working file) | Wilcom EmbroideryStudio | Working file | Full colors | current |
How to read the color column
No colors (stops only): the file marks where to change thread but not which color. Keep a color chart with the design.
Fixed brand palette: colors are stored as numbers in the brand's own thread list, so custom colors are rounded to the nearest one.
Full colors: the file stores the actual color, often with thread brand and code.