DST File Format: What It Is and Which Machines Read It
A DST file is the Tajima stitch format most commercial embroidery machines read. It holds the stitch path your machine sews, not the artwork itself. Every order we deliver includes it, along with a color chart and the six other formats your shop might run.
What is a DST file?
A DST file is a stitch file in the Tajima format. It tells an embroidery machine exactly where the needle moves, in what order, and when to jump, trim, or stop for a color change. It does not contain a picture of the design. It contains instructions for sewing one.
DST is the closest thing the embroidery industry has to a universal format. Most commercial multi-needle machines read it natively, which is why we deliver it with every order regardless of which machine you run.
| Extension | .dst |
|---|---|
| Format name | Tajima stitch data |
| Stores | Stitch coordinates, jumps, trims, color-change commands |
| Does not store | Thread colors, artwork, fabric type |
| Primary machines | Tajima, and most commercial multi-needle brands |
| Included with your order | Every order, no extra charge |
What a DST file contains, and what it leaves out
A DST file stores the stitch path: every needle position, every jump, every trim, and a marker for each color change. It does not store which thread color goes where. That assignment lives outside the file, which is why a color chart ships with every DST we deliver. Skip the chart and a shop has a perfectly good stitch path with no way to know which spool goes in first.
Which machines read DST files?
Yes, your machine almost certainly reads DST. It is the default format for Tajima machines and the most widely supported secondary format across the rest of the industry. Reading the file is not the same as running it cleanly. Hoop size and design area still have to match, which is why we build every file to your placement, not just your format.
| Brand | DST support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tajima | Native | DST is Tajima’s own format |
| Barudan | Native | Standard on commercial models |
| Ricoma | Native | Standard on commercial and small-shop models |
| Happy, ZSK, SWF | Native | Standard across most commercial multi-needle lines |
| Brother, Babylock | Secondary | Native format is PES, most models also read DST |
| Janome | Secondary | Native format is JEF, most models also read DST |
How to open a DST file
You can open a DST file without owning digitizing software. Most embroidery machines load it directly from a USB drive. To check a file before it reaches the machine, that is, to see the stitch path, the color sequence, and the design size, use a browser-based viewer.
Every DST file we deliver can be checked this way before you run it, so a placement or sizing problem shows up on screen instead of on fabric.
Preview a DST file freeHow a DST file is made
A DST file is built by hand, one stitch decision at a time. It is not generated by saving a JPG under a new file extension, and no software step turns flat artwork into a clean stitch path on its own.
- 1
Artwork assessment
We check resolution, line weight, and small text against what a needle can actually sew.
- 2
Stitch type selection
Satin, fill, or running stitch, chosen per element based on shape and size.
- 3
Underlay and density
Foundation stitching set for your fabric so the top stitching sits flat instead of puckering.
- 4
Pull compensation
Stitch width adjusted for fabric stretch, so the finished design matches the artwork.
- 5
Sequencing and export
Stitch order set to minimize color changes and trims, then exported to DST.
Upload your artwork and a digitizer builds the file by hand. Start your order for $15 flat, with a 1-2 hour rush option at no extra charge.
Converting artwork to a DST file
Yes, artwork can become a DST file, but not by automatic conversion. Auto-digitizing software traces an image’s outline and assigns generic stitch settings without judging fabric, size, or placement. The result reads as a valid DST file and still puckers, gaps, or runs the wrong direction on the machine.
DST compared with the other formats we deliver
We deliver seven embroidery formats. DST is the one most commercial machines run natively. Here is how it compares to the rest.
| Format | Machine brand | Stores color |
|---|---|---|
| DST | Tajima and most commercial machines | No, separate color chart |
| PES | Brother, Babylock | Yes |
| JEF | Janome | Yes |
| EXP | Melco, Bernina | No, separate color chart |
| VP3 | Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff | Yes |
| XXX | Singer | Yes |
| ART | Bernina | Yes |
Every one of these seven formats is included with your order, regardless of which one you need. See the full format guide for machine-by-machine detail.
The DST file you receive from us
Every order includes your DST file, a color chart, and the six other formats we deliver, so your file works whether it heads to your own machine or a subcontractor’s.
Left-chest logos, polos, caps
Vertical designs, badges, detailed artwork
Jacket backs, large designs, event logos
Free unlimited revisions. Invoiced on delivery, no upfront payment. Your first order is $5 on simple jobs, standard pricing applies from the second order onward.
A DST file in AutoCAD is a different file
AutoCAD also uses a .dst extension, for an unrelated sheet set data file used to manage drawing layouts. It has nothing to do with embroidery, cannot be opened by an embroidery machine, and cannot be converted into an embroidery stitch file. If your .dst file came out of AutoCAD, this page and our services do not apply to it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a DST file?
A DST file is a Tajima-format stitch file that tells an embroidery machine where to sew. It does not contain artwork or thread colors, only the stitch path and machine commands.
What program opens a DST file?
Most embroidery machines open a DST file directly from a USB drive with no software needed. To preview a file on a computer first, use a browser-based DST viewer rather than a general image program, which will not read stitch data.
How do I turn a PNG into a DST file?
A PNG has to be digitized by hand into a DST file. Automatic converters trace the image outline but do not set stitch type, underlay, or density correctly, which shows up as puckering or gaps on fabric. See our PNG to DST page for the manual process, once published, or upload your artwork directly.
How do I open a DST file?
Load it onto your embroidery machine from a USB drive, or preview it first in our DST file viewer to check stitch count, colors, and size before you sew.