What is a PES file?
PES is Brother's embroidery format, created for its PE-Design digitizing software and used by Brother home embroidery machines ever since. Baby Lock machines are built on Brother platforms, so they read the same files. If you own a Brother or Baby Lock embroidery machine, PES is the file you want from a digitizer or a design shop.
Brother's PR series of multi-needle machines also reads PES, and it accepts DST as well. That makes PES one of the few formats that runs on both home and small commercial machines.
Inside the PES file format
A PES file is really two files in one. The first part is the PES section. It starts with the characters "#PES" and a version number, and it points to where the second part begins. The second part is the PEC section, an older Brother format that the PES file carries inside it.
| Section | What it holds | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| PES header | Format version and the location of the PEC block | Software and machines |
| PES design data | Hoop information, design objects and, in later versions, full thread details (color, brand, name) | Mainly PE-Design and other software |
| PEC block | Design label, color list, preview thumbnails and the stitch data | Mainly the machine |
The stitch data in the PEC block uses 0.1 mm units, like most embroidery formats. Because the machine relies mainly on the PEC block, a PES file saved by newer software often still sews on an older machine, even when older software cannot open it.
What is a PEC file?
PEC was the format of Brother's older embroidery cards. A standalone .pec file contains only the stitch block, color list and preview. You rarely need one today, but some older machines and card writers still use it, and most embroidery software can save it.
PES versions
Brother has revised the PES format several times, from version 1 up to version 6, as PE-Design gained features. Newer versions add more design and thread information to the PES section. The stitches themselves work the same way.
| Version range | What changed, in general terms |
|---|---|
| Early versions (1 and similar) | Basic design data and stitch block, colors from the fixed Brother palette |
| Middle versions | More hoop and object information for PE-Design |
| Later versions (5 and 6) | Full thread records with color values, thread brand and color names |
If your software cannot open a PES file, it was probably saved in a newer version. Ask the sender to save it again in an older PES version, which most programs offer in the save dialog.
Thread colors in Brother PES files
The PEC block stores colors as numbers on Brother's built-in thread palette, and later PES versions also store the exact color value and name. That is why the machine screen shows a color name and number for each stop. When you use another thread brand, such as Madeira or Isacord, use a conversion chart to match each Brother number. The colors may look slightly different on screen than on fabric, but the stop order is what matters for sewing.
Hoop size limits for PES files
A PES file does not limit the design size by itself. Your machine does. Each Brother and Baby Lock model has a maximum embroidery field, and a design larger than that field will not load or will not be shown as available.
| Hoop | Field (approx.) | Typical machines |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4 in | 100 x 100 mm | Entry-level home embroidery machines |
| 5x7 in | 130 x 180 mm | Mid-range home machines |
| 6x10 in | 160 x 260 mm | Higher-end home machines |
| 8x8 in and larger | 200 mm and up | Top home models and PR multi-needle machines |
The practical rule: order the design at the size you plan to sew, and make sure that size fits your largest hoop with a little margin. A left chest logo at 3 to 4 in wide fits every hoop in the table.
How to make a PES file for embroidery
- Choose your software. Brother PE-Design writes PES natively. Hatch, Wilcom, Embrilliance and the free Ink/Stitch extension for Inkscape can also save PES.
- Set the hoop and size first. Pick the hoop your machine uses so the design stays inside the field.
- Digitize the artwork. Build each element with the right stitch type, underlay and pull compensation, and set a sensible sewing order.
- Assign Brother thread colors so the machine shows the correct color for each stop.
- Save as PES, choosing an older version if your machine or other software needs it.
- Transfer it by USB stick, or through Brother's wireless software on models that support it.
Automatic image to PES converters are tempting, but they trace pixels rather than digitize, so small text and fine detail rarely sew well. Our page on converting a JPG or PNG to a stitch file covers why. If you want the file made for you, a design up to 4.5 in costs $14, delivered as PES plus every other format.
How to open and convert a PES file
You can open a PES file in any embroidery program, or preview its stitches in our free DST, EXP and PES viewer, which shows the stitch count, size and color changes without uploading the file.
Converting PES to DST keeps every stitch but drops the thread colors, so write down the color order first. Converting DST to PES means assigning Brother colors to each stop. For clean conversions with trims and colors checked, see our embroidery file conversion service.
Own a Brother or Baby Lock? Get your logo digitized as a PES file sized for your hoop. Order a PES file