What formats does Brother PE-Design export?
PE-Design is built around Brother's PES format — but it isn't locked to it. Here's what it exports, and how to get a machine-ready file the easy way.
Brother PE-Design's native format is .PES (for Brother and Baby Lock machines), but it also exports other popular formats including DST, JEF and HUS, so designs work on non-Brother machines too. It reads images (such as JPG) to digitize, and it's ScanNCut compatible. StitchFast exports the same common formats — PES, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3 and HUS — directly from your image, with no install.
PE-Design's output formats
PE-Design is built around Brother's native PES format, which is what Brother and Baby Lock machines read. But it isn't locked to it: PE-Design also exports other popular formats including DST, JEF and HUS, among others.
It also reads regular images (like JPG) to digitize, and it's ScanNCut compatible, importing FCM files and sending designs to CanvasWorkspace.
Does it work with non-Brother machines?
Yes. Because PE-Design exports beyond PES, designs you create can run on machines from other brands — DST for Tajima and commercial machines, JEF for Janome, HUS for Husqvarna Viking, and so on.
As always, check your machine's manual to confirm which format it expects.
Which format does your machine need?
As a quick guide: Brother and Baby Lock use PES; Tajima and most commercial machines use DST; Janome uses JEF; and Husqvarna Viking uses HUS or VP3.
Our format comparison guide explains the differences between the main formats.
Skip straight to a machine file
With StitchFast you simply pick the format you need at download — it exports PES, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3 and HUS directly from your uploaded image, with the colour and stitch decisions handled automatically.
No PE-Design, no dongle, no install. See how it works on the PE-Design alternative page.
FAQ
PE-Design file formats — common questions
Its native format is PES (for Brother and Baby Lock), but it also exports DST, JEF, HUS and more for other machine brands.
Yes. PE-Design exports formats like DST, JEF and HUS, so designs work on machines from other brands. Check your machine's manual for the right format.
Yes. DST is one of the formats PE-Design can export, alongside its native PES.
It depends on the brand: Brother uses PES, Tajima and commercial machines use DST, Janome uses JEF, Husqvarna Viking uses HUS or VP3. StitchFast lets you choose at download.
More on PE-Design
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