Short answer: DST (Tajima) is the format nearly every commercial machine reads. TAP is for Happy, PES for Brother and Baby Lock, EXP for Melco and Bernina, JEF for Janome and VP3 for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff. These are all machine formats: they store needle positions, trims and colour changes, but not the objects, densities or fonts you digitized with. Keep your working file so you can edit and resize properly later.
An embroidery machine needs a file in a format it understands. The formats look interchangeable, and for many jobs they are. But they don't all store the same things, and knowing the differences saves confusion at the machine.
Which format for which machine
| Format | Machines | Stores thread colours? |
|---|---|---|
| DST | Tajima and almost all commercial machines (Barudan, SWF, Ricoma, ZSK, Happy and others) | No, only colour changes |
| TAP | Happy | No, only colour changes |
| PES | Brother, Baby Lock | Yes |
| EXP | Melco, Bernina | Partly (with a separate colour file) |
| JEF | Janome | Yes (Janome thread palette) |
| VP3 | Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff | Yes |
When in doubt for a commercial machine, send a DST. It's the closest thing embroidery has to a universal format.
What's inside a machine file
Machine formats are essentially a list of moves: move the needle this far, stitch; move this far, stitch; jump; trim; change colour. That means:
- No objects. The file doesn't know that a group of stitches was a satin letter or a fill. It's just points.
- No settings. Density, underlay, pull compensation and stitch angles are baked into the point positions.
- Limited colour information. DST and TAP only record that the colour changes, not what the new colour is.
- Coordinate limits. DST stores moves in 0.1 mm steps with a maximum of about 12 mm per stitch. Longer moves are split into several jumps.
Why the colours are wrong on the machine
Because DST and TAP don't store colours, the machine shows its own defaults, so a navy and gold logo might appear as red and green on the control panel. That's normal. Assign needles at the machine from a colour list (thread brand and code for each colour change) sent with the file. PES, JEF and VP3 carry colours, so home machines usually show something close.
Trims and jumps
Formats handle trims differently. DST traditionally marks a trim as a short sequence of jumps that the machine interprets as "cut here". Some machines are set to trim after a certain number of consecutive jumps. If a file trims too often or not at all on your machine, check the machine's jump-trim setting before re-digitizing. TAP and DST are closely related, which is why Happy machines read both.
Why you shouldn't resize a DST
Scaling a machine file stretches the stitch positions but can't add or remove stitches. Enlarge it and satin columns get wider with the same number of stitches, so they open up. Shrink it and stitches pile together. Up to about 10–15 % is usually fine. Beyond that, resize the original working file and export again, so density and underlay are recalculated.
Keep your working file
Every digitizing program has its own working format (sometimes called the "native" or "outline" file) that keeps the objects, settings, fonts and colours. Always save it alongside the machine file. It's what lets you:
- change text, colours or size without re-digitizing,
- export a different format for another machine,
- fix a problem found on the test sew.
Converting between formats
Converting a machine file from one format to another (DST to PES, for example) is safe for the stitches themselves, since they're the same points. You may lose or gain colour information, and very old or proprietary variants can lose trims. Converting from a machine file to a working file can't recover the original objects. That needs re-digitizing.
Machine file checklist
- Right format for the machine model (check older machines' supported formats).
- Design fits the hoop or cap frame you'll use.
- A short, simple file name for older machines that need 8 characters or fewer.
- A colour list with thread codes travelling with every DST or TAP.
- The working file saved and backed up.
In EasyDigitizer
Every export includes DST, TAP, PES, EXP, JEF and VP3 together, and the production worksheet lists the colour sequence with thread codes for your chosen brand, so the right file and colour list are always to hand. Your project saves as an editable working file, and EasyDigitizer can open DST, TAP, PES, PEC, EXP, JEF and VP3 files to view, check or sew-simulate them. With Send to machine in Chrome or Edge, you can write the file straight to a USB stick or a network folder your machine software watches.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common embroidery file format?
DST. It's read by almost every commercial embroidery machine.
Can a Brother machine read DST files?
Many Brother and Baby Lock models can read DST, but PES is their native format and carries colour information.
Why does my DST show the wrong colours?
DST files don't store colours, only colour changes. The machine shows default colours until you assign the right thread to each needle.
Can I convert a DST back into an editable design?
Not fully. A DST is a list of stitch points, so the original objects and settings are gone. You can view and adjust stitches, but proper editing needs the working file or re-digitizing.