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How to Transfer an Embroidery Design to Your machine

By Lizzsews

This article is brought to you by Lizzsews.

Ever bought a machine embroidery design from somewhere like Etsy or Creative Fabrica and didn’t know how to get it onto your embroidery machine?

Laptop with a notebook and pen on the side, a pair of glasses on top and an iphone

Whether you’re brand new or just stuck, here’s exactly what to do 👇

Step 1: Unzip Your Download

After purchasing your design, you'll likely receive a .zip file. That’s just a compressed folder containing all the files.

Here's how to unzip it:

  • On Chromebook: Double-tap the file

  • On Windows: Right-click and select “Extract All”

  • On Mac: Right-click, go to “Services,” then click “Unzip”

Now you’ll see a list of files in different embroidery formats like .PES, .DST, .JEF, etc.

Step 2: Choose the Right File Format

Each embroidery machine reads a specific file format.

Examples:

  • Brother machines use .PES

  • Janome uses .JEF

  • Bernina uses .EXP

Not sure what your machine uses? You can:

  • Check the user manual

  • Search your machine model online

  • Or use .DST, which is a universal file that works with most embroidery machines

Step 3: Move the File to Your USB Stick

Plug in your USB and move the correct file over.

You can either:

  • Drag and drop the file into your USB folder

  • Or copy it (Ctrl + C) and paste it (Ctrl + V) into your USB

Step 4: Eject and Plug Into Your Machine

Once your file is on the USB:

  • Eject the USB safely

  • Plug it into your embroidery machine

  • Select the file on the screen

  • Stitch away! 🧵✨

⚠️ What Kind of USB Should You Use?

This can be tricky. Some machines are picky with USBs.

If the storage is too big (like 128GB), it might not load.

🔁 Try out the USBs you already have first. Most machines prefer USBs in the 2–8GB range.

A bunch of USB sticks in a pile

 🧵 Recommended reads:

How to preview where your embroidery design will stitch out

How to Embroider Patches

💬 Have questions or tips of your own? Drop them in the comments—I love hearing from you!
📬And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a stitch 💌

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Comments

  1. Gabbie28 April 2020 at 19:36

    I have a good understanding of how to transfer files onto my machine but have questions about fonts.

    ReplyDelete

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