PES, DST, and JEF are the three embroidery file formats you'll run into most often. They all describe the same basic thing — a sequence of stitches — but differ in which machines read them and what extra data they store.
| Format | Used by | Stores thread colors? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PES | Brother, Baby Lock | Yes | Home embroidery machines from these brands |
| DST | Tajima, most industrial/multi-needle machines | No | Industrial machines and cross-brand compatibility |
| JEF | Janome, Elna | Yes | Home embroidery machines from these brands |
PES: Brother & Baby Lock
PES files include embedded thread color data, so your machine's screen can show you which color goes where as you sew. If you own a Brother or Baby Lock machine, PES is almost always the format you want. See our image to PES guide for a full walkthrough.
DST: Tajima & industrial machines
DST is the closest thing to a universal embroidery format — most machine brands can read it even if it isn't their native format, which is why many embroidery shops request DST specifically. It stores stitch coordinates and jump commands, but not thread color names, so you'll need to track colors separately. Read our free DST converter guide for details.
JEF: Janome & Elna
JEF works similarly to PES — it stores thread color information alongside the stitch data — but is read natively by Janome and Elna machines instead of Brother/Baby Lock ones.
Other formats: EXP, VP3, XXX
Beyond the big three, you'll also see EXP (Melco/Bernina), VP3 (Husqvarna Viking/Pfaff), and XXX (Singer). The underlying stitch data is conceptually the same across all of these — they mainly differ in which machine reads them natively and whether they embed color metadata.
Which format should you pick?
Check your embroidery machine's brand and manual — it will specify a native format. If you're sending a design to a shop or friend and don't know their machine, DST is the safest cross-brand default. click-stitch exports PES, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3, and XXX from the same design, so you can generate whichever format you need without redoing your work — see the full converter guide for every pairing.