Export formats
Boldbobbin exports 13 formats, in three groups. Use this page to pick the right file for your machine, or for a preview or a listing. Open the export wizard with Export embroidery… (Ctrl/Cmd+E) and see Export an embroidery file.
Which format should I pick?
For example:
- A Brother home machine (SE, PE, Innov-is): PES. The machine centers the design on the hoop when it loads the file.
- A commercial multi-needle, Tajima or most others: DST, the most widely read format. Tick Also save thread colors (.inf) so the colors come back when you reopen the file in Boldbobbin.
- A Husqvarna Viking or Pfaff where you placed the design off-center on purpose: VP3, the one machine format that keeps your placement.
- A picture for a shop listing: PNG in the Realistic look.
- Not sure what your machine reads? Add it in Settings; the wizard then marks the formats it reads with Compatible with your machine.
Embroidery (machine) formats
These are stitch files for embroidery machines.
| Format | Machine / brand | Placement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DST | Tajima | Centered | Broadest machine compatibility |
| PES | Brother | Centered by the machine | PES v6, full RGB |
| EXP | Melco | Centered | |
| JEF | Janome | Centered | |
| PEC | Brother | Centered by the machine | PEC raw |
| VP3 | Pfaff / Husqvarna Viking | Your placement, kept | Re-export files made before v1.3.2 (see below) |
| U01 | Barudan | Centered | |
| XXX | Singer / Compucon | Centered | Keeps the right colors after an appliqué's machine stop |
Placement says whether the spot where your design sits on the canvas carries over to the machine. DST, EXP, U01, XXX and JEF are always centered, and you position the design on the machine. Brother machines center a PES or PEC design on the hoop themselves when they load it. VP3 keeps the placement you gave it, so a design you put off-center stays off-center.
The Center design in the hoop option in the wizard therefore appears only for formats it can actually move. See Placement.
VP3 before v1.3.2
Until v1.3.2, a VP3 file could place stitches up to 0.1 mm away from where they were drawn. On a dense tatami fill that can show as a faint line. From v1.3.2, VP3 stitches land where you drew them. Re-export any design you sew from a VP3 made with an earlier version. No other format was affected.
If you've added your machine in Settings, the wizard marks formats that match it with a "Compatible with your machine" badge.
Machine stops, an appliqué's pauses to lay and trim its fabric, go into every machine file as a pause on the same thread. The colors after a stop stay as you chose them, in XXX too. See Machine stops.
Ties (lock stitches) go into every machine file. They are a property of each object rather than an export switch, so you can see and count them before you export. See Ties.
Vector / image
| Format | What it is |
|---|---|
| SVG | Vector preview |
| PNG | Raster image, in the flat Stitch look or a Realistic render (Realistic needs WebGPU) |
On the Free plan, PNG and SVG exports carry a "Boldbobbin" watermark; machine files do not. See Plans and credits.
DST and EXP don't store thread colors. Tick Also save thread colors (.inf) in
the wizard to bundle a same-name .inf sidecar (as a .zip) so the design
reloads with its palette.
Data / reference
| Format | What it is |
|---|---|
| JSON | Lossless stitch list (for reference) |
| CSV | Spreadsheet-style stitch list |
| TXT | Plain-text stitch list (for debugging) |
Digitized font (BBF)
Separate from designs, you can export one of your own fonts as a .bbf file
from the font editor, to back it up or move it to another machine. This needs
Pro. See Edit a font.
Appliqué cut file (SVG)
When a design has an appliqué, the wizard
offers Appliqué cut shapes (SVG) beside your machine file: the fabric to cut
for each appliqué, at actual size, numbered in sewing order, and mirrored if you
tick Mirror the cut shapes (for fusible web). It comes in the same .zip.
New in v1.3.3. See Cut file.
Run sheet (PDF)
Separate from the 13 formats above, you can export a printable run sheet PDF of thread colors and stitch order. See Export a run sheet (PDF). This is a Pro feature.
Batch export (Pro)
Batch export saves several formats at once, bundled into a single ZIP. The Free plan exports one format at a time. See Plans and credits.
Video
Separate from the formats above, you can export an animated MP4 (or WebM) of your design stitching out, from the Animate drawer. See Export a video.
Publishing
A design can also be sent to the public community gallery as a link, rather than as a file. A visitor can turn a published design into DST, PES or JEF in their browser. See Publish a design.