Image to PES
Turn any image into a PES file for Brother and Baby Lock — free, in the browser, nothing to install.
Convert now — no account neededAbout the PES format
PES is the native format for Brother and Baby Lock. PES stores your thread colours, so the machine shows the design in colour and prompts for each one by name. It also encodes most jumps as a cut, so expect a few more trims on the back than the same design in DST.
Which file are you starting from?
Every source converts to PES, but what you should do before converting depends on what you are holding. Pick your file type for the specifics:
- PNG to PES — 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 PES — JPEG throws away detail to save space, and it does it worst exactly where embroidery cares most: hard edges.
- SVG to PES — SVG is the ideal starting point.
- a Logo to PES — A logo is the most common thing anyone digitizes and the most demanding, because people know what it is supposed to look like.
- a Photo to PES — A photo is the hardest source there is.
- WebP to PES — WebP is what most images saved from a web page are these days.
Not sure which of those you have, or starting from something else entirely? The free converter takes any of them and exports PES along with every other format, so you can decide at the end rather than the beginning.
Common questions
Will my exact colours survive as PES?
Approximately. PES stores an index into Brother's thread chart rather than an RGB value, so each colour is matched to the nearest thread Brother sells. For an exact brand match, choose your thread from the chart first and design to it.
Why does my PES have more thread trims than the DST?
The PEC block inside a PES file leans on trim-jumps rather than uncut jumps for travel between shapes. It is how the format handles moves, not a fault in the design, but it does mean a few more ends to clip on the back.
Can I open a PES file on a machine that is not a Brother?
Not natively. Most other brands need the design re-encoded to their own format first, which is a re-encode rather than a re-digitize — the stitches are already decided and only the container changes.
What is the PEC block inside a PES file?
PES is a wrapper. The PEC block holds the actual stitch data for backward compatibility with older Brother machines, and the PES layer around it holds the colour list and hoop metadata.
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.
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.