Skip to content
Stitch & Spool

PES file viewer

Open a PES embroidery file to see every stitch in its thread colors, the thread names stored in the file, the real size and whether it fits your hoop. Free, nothing to install, and the file never leaves your device.

Drop a design file here

or

  • PES
  • PEC
  • DST
  • JEF
  • EXP
  • VP3
  • ZIP

Over 40 formats, or a ZIP of designs.

Files stay on your device

What is a PES file?

PES is the embroidery format of Brother machines, and Baby Lock machines read it too. It is the format most home embroiderers use, and nearly every design shop includes a PES file in its downloads.

A PES file has two parts. The PES part describes the design and, in newer versions, lists every thread with its color, name and catalog number. The PEC part holds the stitches themselves, a short name for the machine’s screen, the colors as positions in Brother’s thread palette and a tiny preview picture. Older machines only read the PEC part, which is why a PES file still opens on them.

Read the full guide: what is a PES file?

Thread colors in a PES file

Unlike DST, a PES file stores its thread colors, so the viewer shows the design as the designer planned it. Where the file names its threads, the viewer lists them in stitching order with their brand and number, and how many stitches each one sews.

Your machine may show slightly different colors: older Brother machines only know the colors of Brother’s own palette and pick the nearest one. The thread converter finds the closest Brother palette color for any color, and the matching Janome and Husqvarna Viking threads. Match the thread colors

How to open a PES file online

  1. Drag the PES file onto this page, or choose it from your device. A ZIP with several designs works too.
  2. The viewer reads it in your browser. The first visit takes a few seconds while the viewer loads; after that it opens straight away.
  3. Check the size, stitch count and thread colors, and choose your hoop to see whether the design fits.
  4. Use the sew-out slider to watch the stitching order, or print a production sheet with the color sequence.

Check a PES design before putting it on your Brother machine

  • The real size: Brother machines hide designs that are bigger than the largest hoop they take.
  • The color sequence, so you can lay out the threads in order before you start.
  • The run time at your machine’s speed, and how many thread changes and trims there are.
  • Very short or very long stitches, which the viewer warns about. They usually mean the design was resized.
  • Which hoop to use: the smallest one that fits gives the steadiest result.

PES file not showing on your machine?

If the machine doesn’t list a PES file, check the size first: a design bigger than the machine’s largest hoop is usually hidden. Then check that the file is in a folder the machine reads (often the top level of the USB stick), that the file name isn’t too long, and that it really ends in .pes. If the machine reads other PES files but not this one, it may have been saved in a newer PES version than the machine knows: saving it again as PES with the converter (which writes version 6) can help. Convert PES to another format

Questions

Is this PES viewer free?

Yes. There is no account, no limit and nothing to install. It runs in your web browser on a computer, tablet or phone, without Brother software.

Is my PES file uploaded?

No. The file is read on your device, inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored or shared, so designs you bought stay private.

Which machines use PES files?

Brother and Baby Lock home embroidery machines. Many other machines and all embroidery programs can open PES as well.

Can I open PEC files too?

Yes. PEC is the stitch part of a PES file on its own, used by older Brother machines and cards. The viewer opens it the same way; its colors come from Brother’s palette.

Can I convert a PES file to DST, JEF or VP3?

Yes, with the free converter on this site. Every stitch is kept and the new file is checked against the PES before you download it. DST and EXP don’t store colors, and JEF uses Janome’s thread colors, so the converter tells you when colors change.

Why does the design name on my machine look different?

The stitch part of a PES file only has room for a short name, so machines often show a shortened version. The viewer shows the full file name.