Design size and hoop fit
Read the width and height in millimetres and compare them against the hoop you plan to use before anything is hooped.
Embroidery file viewer
An embroidery file viewer for iPhone and iPad
Stitch Viewer is a small, focused embroidery file viewer. Today it opens .dst files — the Tajima format used across commercial and industrial machines — and shows both the stitch path and the numbers behind it.
- .dst (Tajima) files
- On-device parsing
- iPhone and iPad
- No account
- PNG preview export
Which embroidery files Stitch Viewer opens today
Stitch Viewer currently reads one format: .dst, the Tajima stitch format. It is the most common exchange format for commercial machine embroidery, which is why it is the first one supported.
It does not open .pes, .jef, .exp, .vp3, .hus, .xxx or .emb yet. Those formats each have their own binary layout, and supporting them properly means writing and testing a separate decoder for each one. Claiming support before that work is done would be worse than saying nothing.
If your files are already in .dst, Stitch Viewer can open them today on iPhone and iPad. If they are in another format, the honest answer is that you need a different tool until that format is added.
What you can check in an embroidery file
Stitch count
The total stitch count comes straight from the DST header, which is the number you need for pricing, timing and machine load.
Colour changes
The header records how many machine stops the design expects, so you know how many thread changes to plan for.
Stitch path and orientation
Zoom in to see how the design is built up, whether the motifs are oriented as intended, and how dense the fill areas are.
Design name and folder
The label stored inside the file and the folder it came from, which is usually faster than reading a long file name.
A shareable preview
Export a PNG that carries the design and its specification block, so the next person is looking at the same numbers.
Viewing embroidery files on iPhone or iPad
- Choose the folder that holds your designsIn the Files app, keep your .dst files in a folder you can reach — iCloud Drive, On My iPhone, or a shared folder.
- Add it as a workspace in Stitch ViewerTap Add Workspace and select the folder. The app keeps the permission so you are not asked again every session.
- Open a design and read the spec blockSize, stitch count, colour changes and folder are shown together with the rendered stitch path.
- Export or share when you are doneExport a PNG preview with the specifications included, then send it through the iOS share sheet.
Supported file formats
Being explicit about format support is more useful than a vague “supports embroidery files” claim.
| Format | Machine family | In Stitch Viewer today |
|---|---|---|
| .dst | Tajima, and most industrial machines | Yes |
| .pes | Brother, Babylock | Not yet |
| .jef | Janome | Not yet |
| .exp | Melco, Bernina | Not yet |
| .vp3 | Husqvarna Viking | Not yet |
| .hus | Husqvarna Viking | Not yet |
| .emb | Wilcom | Not yet |
Why this is a viewer, not a converter
Viewing and converting are different jobs. A viewer decodes a stitch file and draws it so a human can check it. A converter rewrites one machine format into another, and has to preserve stitch data, trims, jumps and colour sequencing exactly.
Stitch Viewer does the first job. If you need to move a design from .dst into .pes, you need a converter or a desktop digitizing application, and you should check the output carefully before it goes on a machine.
The one export Stitch Viewer does perform is to PNG. That produces an image for people to look at, not a machine file.
Embroidery file viewer questions
What is the difference between an embroidery file and an image?
An image stores pixels or vectors. An embroidery file stores machine instructions — needle positions, stitch and jump commands, trims and colour stops. That is why an embroidery file needs a viewer rather than a photo app.
Which embroidery format is most widely used?
For commercial and industrial work, .dst is the common exchange format. Consumer machine brands each have their own native formats on top of that.
Can Stitch Viewer open a .pes file?
Not today. Only .dst is supported at the moment.
Will more formats be added?
That is the plan, but each format needs its own decoder and its own testing against real files. It is deliberately not promised until it works.
Can I view an embroidery file without installing anything?
Yes, there are browser-based viewers that work without installation. They work by uploading the design to a server, which is a different trade-off from an on-device app.
Does the app work offline?
Yes. Once installed, Stitch Viewer reads and renders designs locally, with no network connection required.
If you need another format right now
For .pes, .jef, .exp, .vp3 and similar files, a desktop application from the machine manufacturer or a dedicated embroidery suite is still the most reliable option, and many of them offer a free viewer tier.
Browser-based viewers that accept many formats at once are also common, and they are convenient for a quick look. Just be aware that the file leaves your machine when you use them.
Keep reading
DST viewer for iPhone and iPad
The dedicated page for the .dst format, including how the header fields are read.
Open pageHow to open a DST file
The format explained, plus how to open a .dst file on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Windows.
Open pageCheck a DST file before embroidery
A short pre-production checklist you can run on a phone.
Open pageLook at the design, not the file name
Stitch Viewer opens .dst files on iPhone and iPad and shows the design the way the machine will stitch it.
Download on the App Store