Embroidery Machine Guide

Embroidery file formats

.PES embroidery files (Brother embroidery stitch file)

PES is Brother's own embroidery file and the first format to look for on Brother and Baby Lock machines. It keeps stitches, color changes and thread colors, and most PES files sold online are stitch data only.

Extension.PES
Comes fromBrother
Native onBrother, Baby Lock
Stores thread colours?Yes
Editable outlines?No: it is a stitch file (resizing a lot can spoil it)
Machines in our guide that read it20

About .PES files

PES is the file format Brother created for its embroidery machines and its PE-Design software. Baby Lock machines read it too. A PES file stores the stitches, the order of color changes, a list of thread colors and a small preview picture that appears on the machine screen.

Inside, a PES file has two parts. One part is for Brother's PE-Design software and can hold shapes such as fills and outlines. The other part, called PEC, holds what the machine needs: the stitches, the colors and the picture. Most PES files sold online contain only that stitch data, so they are hard to resize or edit cleanly, and the lost shape data cannot be rebuilt.

Brother's support pages list .pes, .phc and .dst for its machines, and some models add .pha, .phb, .phx or .pen. Baby Lock's Meridian 2 page lists .pes, .phc, .pec and .dst. Brother also warns that data not saved by its own design systems can make a machine misbehave, so use a clean export from software rather than a renamed file.

If a PES file does not show up on a Brother machine, Brother's usual causes are a design bigger than the hoop area, too many stitches or colors, special characters in the file name, a zipped file, or a file saved in a folder instead of the USB root. To get a PES from another format, convert it with embroidery software.

How to convert .PES files

  • Convert from the original editable file (EMB, ART, PE-Design) when you have it. Converting one machine format straight into another can damage a design.
  • Embrilliance Essentials and Ink/Stitch can both read and write PES, along with DST, JEF, EXP, VP3 and XXX. Wilcom says its EmbroideryStudio exports Brother PES and PEC files.
  • Save PES files in the root of the USB stick, not in a folder. Use only letters, numbers, dashes and underscores in the name, and format the stick as FAT32.
  • If you convert from DST, the thread colors are gone. Set them again in the software before you save the PES.

Machines that read .PES files

Brother

Baby Lock

Frequently asked questions

Which embroidery machines use PES files?

Brother and Baby Lock machines use PES as their main format. Some Bernina models also read it, so check your manual.

Can I rename a DST or JEF file to .pes?

No. Renaming changes only the label, not how the data is laid out inside, and Brother warns that data not saved by its own design systems can make a machine malfunction. Convert the file with embroidery software instead.

Why will my Brother machine not show my PES file?

Brother's support pages point to a design that is too big for the hoop, too many stitches or colors, special characters in the file name, a zipped file, or a file inside a folder. Save it in the USB root with a plain name and try again.

Can I edit or resize a PES file?

Only a little. Most PES files hold stitches only, and Wilcom's help says scaling machine files by more than about 10 percent hurts stitch quality. If you have the original EMB or PE-Design file, resize that and export again.

Other formats

Sources