DST viewer for iPhone and iPad
The app that opens .dst files on a phone, with the header fields spelled out.
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How to open a DST file
A .dst file is a stitch file, not a picture. Opening one means decoding the stitch list and drawing it, which is why double-clicking it in a photo viewer shows nothing useful.
- Format explained
- iPhone and iPad
- Mac and Windows
- Troubleshooting
The short answer
On iPhone and iPad, open the .dst file in an app that can decode it, such as Stitch Viewer: add the folder as a workspace, then tap the design. On Windows or macOS, use an embroidery program or a browser-based DST viewer.
A DST file will not open in Preview, Photos, or any ordinary image viewer, because it does not contain an image. It contains machine instructions.
What a DST file actually contains
DST is the Tajima stitch format and has been an industry exchange format for decades. A DST file begins with a 512-byte header that records the design name, the stitch count, the number of colour changes and the design extents in millimetres.
After the header comes the stitch data: a stream of three-byte records. Each record tells the machine how far to move on the X and Y axes, and whether to stitch, jump or trim at that position. Colour changes are encoded as machine stops.
There is no embedded bitmap anywhere in the file. The picture only exists once something reads those records and draws them, which is exactly what a viewer does.
Opening a DST file on iPhone or iPad
- Get the file into the Files appSave the .dst file into iCloud Drive, On My iPhone, or a shared folder that appears in Files. Downloading it from an email or chat works too.
- Install a viewer that supports DSTStitch Viewer is one option. Any app that explicitly lists .dst support will work; an app that only mentions “embroidery images” usually will not.
- Add the folder as a workspaceIn Stitch Viewer, tap Add Workspace and pick the folder. Grant access once; the app remembers it.
- Open the design and check itConfirm the size, stitch count and colour changes from the header, then zoom in on the stitch path.
Opening a DST file on macOS
On macOS, the Quick Look preview and Preview.app do not decode DST stitch data. You need an embroidery application, a dedicated DST viewer, or a browser-based viewer that accepts .dst uploads.
If you already use the desktop version of Stitch, you can open .dst files there directly. Otherwise, look for software from your machine manufacturer, or a free viewer from an embroidery suite.
Be aware that browser-based viewers require you to upload the file. For designs that are not public yet, check whether that is acceptable before you drop a customer's file into one.
Opening a DST file on Windows
Windows has the widest choice: free viewers from embroidery brands, paid digitizing suites, and a large number of browser tools that accept .dst and convert it to a preview image.
If you only need a quick look, a browser viewer is the fastest path. If you need to work with the stitch data, use a real embroidery application.
If the DST file will not open
Work through these in order; they cover almost every case.
- Confirm the file really ends in .dst and not .dst.txt, .zip or another extension added by a chat app or email client.
- Check the file size. A valid DST file with stitch data is larger than a few kilobytes; a 0 KB file is usually a failed download.
- Open it in a hex viewer and look at the first bytes. DST files typically begin with a label such as LA: followed by the design name.
- Try a second viewer. If one app fails and another succeeds, the problem is the app, not the file.
- Ask the sender to re-export the design. Corrupted or truncated DST files are usually the result of an interrupted copy or a partial download.
- If the header is readable but the design looks wrong, the file is probably fine and the issue is in the design itself.
DST file questions
Why does my computer show a blank icon for a DST file?
Because no image is stored in the file. The operating system has nothing to render, so it falls back to a generic icon.
Can I open a DST file in Photoshop or Illustrator?
Not directly. Those are image and vector editors and do not read stitch data. You would need to export an image from a viewer first.
What does the DST header contain?
The first 512 bytes hold the design name, stitch count, colour change count and the design extents in millimetres.
Is DST the same as the file my machine uses?
Many commercial and industrial machines read DST directly. Consumer machines often use a brand-specific format such as PES, JEF or VP3 instead.
How large is a typical DST file?
Roughly three bytes per stitch, plus the 512-byte header. A 20,000-stitch design lands around 60 KB, so DST files are usually small.
Can I rename a DST file?
Yes. The design name inside the header is separate from the file name, so renaming the file does not change what the header reports.
Keep reading
Open the file and look at the design
Stitch Viewer decodes .dst files on iPhone and iPad and draws the stitch path with its header values.
Download on the App Store