Image to JEF
Turn any image into a JEF file for Janome and Elna — free, in the browser, nothing to install.
Convert now — no account neededAbout the JEF format
JEF is the native format for Janome and Elna. JEF stores thread colours and also records which hoop the design is meant for, so it is worth picking the right hoop size at export rather than letting the machine complain about it later.
Which file are you starting from?
Every source converts to JEF, but what you should do before converting depends on what you are holding. Pick your file type for the specifics:
- PNG to JEF — PNG is the best of the raster formats to start from: it is lossless, so edges stay crisp instead of smearing, and it can carry a transparent background, which means there is no white box around your artwork to remove first.
- JPG to JEF — JPEG throws away detail to save space, and it does it worst exactly where embroidery cares most: hard edges.
- SVG to JEF — SVG is the ideal starting point.
- a Logo to JEF — A logo is the most common thing anyone digitizes and the most demanding, because people know what it is supposed to look like.
Not sure which of those you have, or starting from something else entirely? The free converter takes any of them and exports JEF along with every other format, so you can decide at the end rather than the beginning.
Common questions
Why did my Janome refuse the design?
Usually the hoop. JEF records which hoop a design expects, and Janome machines decline anything that does not match the hoop they think is attached. Set the finished size against a hoop you actually own before exporting.
Does JEF store thread colours?
Yes, as an index into Janome's own thread chart rather than as an RGB value. Each colour you choose is matched to the nearest thread Janome sells, and if two of your colours would land on the same entry, one is pushed to its next-nearest so the two stay distinct.
JEF or SEW for a Janome?
JEF unless the machine cannot read it. SEW is the older format from the Memory Craft 5700, 8000 and 9000 era and caps at twelve thread colours; JEF has no colour ceiling and records hoop information.
Is it free?
Yes, to start. A free account converts up to three designs a day at up to three thread colours and three inches, with every export format available. Premium lifts the colour and size limits and raises the daily allowance.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The conversion runs on our servers and the result downloads to your browser, so it works the same on Windows, macOS, a Chromebook or a phone.
Related converters
Already have an embroidery file in the wrong format? That is a different job — no digitizing needed, just a re-encode. Use the embroidery file converter. Working with text rather than artwork? Browse the embroidery fonts.