What is a DST file for embroidery?
A DST file is a set of instructions for an embroidery machine. It was created by Tajima, a Japanese maker of commercial multi-needle machines, and it became the default exchange format across the industry because nearly every other commercial brand added support for it. When a promotional products company, a uniform supplier or a contract embroiderer asks for "the tape" or "the stitch file", they almost always mean a DST.
A .dst file is not an image. Open one in a text editor and you will see a short readable header followed by binary data. Open it in embroidery software or our free DST file viewer and you see the design drawn stitch by stitch, because the software replays the needle moves.
What is inside the DST file format
The DST file format is simple, which is one reason it has lasted so long. It has two parts.
The 512-byte header
The first 512 bytes are a text header. It holds a design label and summary numbers that the machine shows on its screen:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| LA | Design label (name), up to 16 characters |
| ST | Total stitch count |
| CO | Number of color changes |
| +X, -X, +Y, -Y | How far the design extends from the start point in each direction, in 0.1 mm |
| AX, AY, MX, MY, PD | End position and multi-part design information, often left at zero or blank |
The stitch records
After the header, the file is a list of 3-byte records. Each record moves the needle by a relative amount on the X and Y axes and says what kind of move it is. The unit is 0.1 mm, and one record can move at most 121 units in each direction, which is 12.1 mm. A longer move is split into several jump records.
| Record type | What the machine does |
|---|---|
| Stitch | Moves the frame and puts the needle through the fabric |
| Jump | Moves the frame without stitching |
| Color change (stop) | Stops, or switches to the next needle on a multi-needle machine |
| End | Marks the end of the design |
No thread colors
DST records that a color change happens, but not which color comes next. On a multi-needle machine the operator assigns a needle to each stop at the machine. That is why the colors you see when you open a DST in software are placeholders, and why a good digitizer sends a worksheet listing the color sequence with every file. Some programs write color notes in extra header space, but machines do not rely on them.
Trims in DST
The format has no separate trim command. Trims are usually written as a short run of consecutive jump records, and the machine is set to trim when it sees that many jumps in a row. Most commercial machines let the operator set that number. If a DST from another source trims too often or not at all, the jump count setting on the machine is the first thing to check.
Which machines use Tajima DST files
| Machine type | DST support |
|---|---|
| Tajima commercial machines | Native format (newer models also read TBF) |
| Barudan, Happy, SWF, Ricoma, Melco | Standard in production shops |
| Brother PR multi-needle | Accepted alongside PES |
| Home single-needle machines | Varies by brand and model, check the manual |
If you run a home machine, you will usually get better results from your own brand format (PES, JEF, VP3 or EXP), because it carries thread colors. The embroidery file formats guide lists what each brand reads.
How to open a DST file
Windows and macOS do not open DST files on their own. You have four practical options:
- A browser viewer. Our free DST viewer opens the file in your browser without uploading it, and shows the stitch count, size, color changes and jumps.
- Free embroidery programs. Tools such as Embrilliance Express and the Ink/Stitch extension for Inkscape can open DST files.
- Digitizing software. Wilcom EmbroideryStudio, Hatch, Tajima DG/ML by Pulse and most other packages open and edit DST.
- The machine itself. Load it by USB or network and preview it on the machine screen.
How to make a DST file
There is no shortcut from a picture to a good DST file. Someone, or some software, has to decide where every stitch goes. You can do it yourself or order it.
- Start with clean artwork. A vector logo or a sharp PNG at the size you plan to sew.
- Set the finished size. Stitch files are built for a size, so decide it before you start. A left chest logo is typically 3 to 4 in wide.
- Digitize the shapes. In embroidery software, turn each element into running stitch, satin or fill, with underlay, pull compensation and a sensible sewing order.
- Save or export as DST. Keep the working file too (EMB, PXF or similar) so you can edit later.
- Test it. Sew it on the same fabric you plan to use and adjust density or compensation if needed.
Automatic "image to DST" converters skip step three and trace pixels instead, which is why their files often sew badly. Our page on converting a JPG or PNG to DST explains what goes wrong and what we do instead. If you would rather not learn digitizing software, a small left chest or cap design costs $14 with every format included.
How to convert to a DST file
Converting another stitch file to DST is straightforward: open the PES, JEF, EXP or VP3 in embroidery software and save it as DST. The stitches come across unchanged. What you lose is the thread color information, so note the color order before you convert.
Going the other way, from DST to PES or another home format, you have to assign colors again, and trims may need checking because DST handles them as jump sequences. For a clean result on a batch of files, our embroidery file conversion service handles it at $5 per file.
Converting a DST does not fix a badly digitized design. If the original has density or sequencing problems, they carry over into every format.
Common DST file problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Colors look random on screen | DST stores no colors | Assign needles using the worksheet |
| Thread breaks and bulletproof fills | File was shrunk after digitizing | Re-digitize or edit at the new size |
| Too many or too few trims | Machine jump-to-trim setting | Adjust the setting or ask for the file with tie-offs and trims checked |
| Machine will not load the file | Design is bigger than the largest frame, or a damaged file | Check the size in a viewer and re-export |
Need a DST built from your logo, with a proof before you pay? Order a DST file