On this page
Most embroidery machines take designs from a USB stick. Download the design in your machine's format, unzip it, copy the file to the root or one folder of a FAT32 stick, and plug it in. Many machines also accept a cable from a computer, and newer Brother, Baby Lock, Janome, BERNINA and Husqvarna Viking models can receive designs over Wi-Fi.
How do you transfer designs with a USB stick?
Copy the file to the stick on your computer, then select it on the machine. A USB stick is the one method nearly every computerized embroidery machine supports, and it needs no software. Brother's help pages describe it as copying the design files to the flash drive and selecting them on the machine. The details that trip people up are the format, the stick itself, and where the file sits on it.
- Download the right format. PES for Brother and Baby Lock, JEF for Janome, VP3 for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff, EXP for BERNINA. The file formats guide has the full table and the model exceptions.
- Unzip on your computer. Brother's Design Database Transfer manual notes that zipped files can't be read, and BERNINA's blog tells readers to extract the ZIP before copying. Copy the extracted file, not the ZIP.
- Use a FAT32 stick. Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff and Singer manuals require FAT32, and so does Brother's XP series. Keep to 32 GB or less to be safe; more on that below.
- Put the file in the root or in one folder. Older Brother machines read the root and one folder level, nothing deeper, and Brother machines can't create folders themselves, so make them on the computer.
- Keep the file name simple. Brother's support pages say a file with special characters in its name is not displayed. Stick to letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores.
- Insert the stick and select the design on the machine's USB or memory screen. Check that it fits the hoop before you start; the hoop sizes guide lists the fields.
Which USB stick works?
Brother's own guidance shows why no single rule fits every machine. Its FAQ on updating the SE2000's firmware asks for a FAT32 stick of 32 GB or less, the FAQ for the Aveneer EV1 accepts FAT32 or NTFS drives of 8 to 32 GB, and the FAQ for the older PE-770 family says a flash drive of any size works. Brother's tested-drive list even passes some 256 GB sticks and fails some 16 GB ones.
The practical answer: start with a plain FAT32 stick of 32 GB or less, and if the machine says it can't use the stick, check your brand's tested list or try another stick.
USB rules by brand
| Brand | The stick | Where the files go | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother, Baby Lock | FAT32 (XP series: FAT or FAT32); Brother and Baby Lock publish tested-drive lists | Root or one folder on older models; newer models show folders made on the computer | Designs you save on the machine land in a "bPocket" folder |
| Janome, Elna | No file system stated in current manuals; older models have per-model size limits of 2 to 16 GB | Older models need an EMB > Embf folder: save any design from the machine to the stick and it creates the folders | The machine can format the stick, which erases it |
| BERNINA | No file system stated in the manuals; BERNINA sells its own USB stick | Copy the EXP together with its INF and BMP files | Without the INF, the design shows in default colours |
| Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff | FAT32 required | Folders are fine | "Delete All" on the machine also deletes files it doesn't display |
| Singer | FAT32 (SE9150 to SE9185: USB 2.0 or 3.0) | Folders are fine on the Legacy SE300 | SE9150 to SE9185 load VP3 only; files open in embroidery mode only |
Transferring by cable from your computer
Many machines can take designs straight from a computer through a USB cable. How it works depends on the brand:
- Brother (older models): the machine appears on the computer as a "Removable Disk". You copy PES or DST files onto it, but folders aren't shown, the machine holds 12 patterns at most, and anything not saved to the machine's memory is lost when you switch it off. On a Mac the machine appears as a removable drive too.
- Janome and Elna: "Direct PC-Link" uses the supplied cable, type A at the computer and type B at the machine, with Janome's Embroidery Editor software and a USB driver. The Horizon MC15000 and MC12000 connect through Janome's Horizon Link software.
- BERNINA: older machines receive designs from BERNINA's embroidery software through a cable; the B 790 PRO and B 990 add Wi-Fi.
- Brother PE-DESIGN software offers four routes: USB media, your home wireless network, a USB cable, or the original memory cards with a card writer.
Wi-Fi and apps, by brand
Wireless transfer is spreading, but the tools do very different things. Some send real design files, some send one design at a time through the manufacturer's server, and some only send a photo for positioning.
| Brand | Tool | What it sends | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother | Design Database Transfer (Windows) | PES, PHC, PHX, DST and PEN files, up to 50 per transfer | Machine and PC on the same network; can't read zipped files |
| Brother | Artspira app | One design at a time, through a Brother server | Imports PES, PHC, PHX and DST; works with 28 Brother embroidery models on the US list; firmware must be up to date |
| Brother | My Design Snap | Photos, not design files | For positioning and My Design Center on the XE, XJ and XP series |
| Baby Lock | Design Database Transfer (Windows) | PES, PHC, PHX and DST files | Altair, Flare, Meridian, Solaris 2, Vesta, Array, Venture; the Aurora is Wi-Fi enabled too |
| Janome | AcuEdit (tablet) | JEF, JEF+ and JPX designs | Horizon MC15000 and Skyline S9; AcuSetter is for placement |
| BERNINA | Wi-Fi on the B 790 PRO and B 990 | Designs from BERNINA Embroidery Software | Needs a 2.4 GHz network; the Stitchout app only monitors the stitch-out |
| Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff, Singer | mySewnet, now CREATIVATE | Files synced through a cloud folder | Singer SE9180 and SE9185 have Wi-Fi, the SE9150 and SE9155 don't; still VP3 only |
Why doesn't the design show up on the machine?
Almost always because of the format, a ZIP, a folder or the file name. Work down this table:
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The stick looks empty | Format not supported by this model, or the file is still in a ZIP | Check the manual's format list; unzip and copy the file itself |
| Some files are missing | Folder too deep, or special characters in the name | Move files to the root or one folder; rename with letters and numbers |
| "This USB media cannot be used" | Unsupported stick or file system | Reinsert, then try a FAT32 stick from the brand's tested list |
| The design loads but won't sew | Too big for the hoop, or over the stitch limit | Use a smaller size; Brother's XP series stops at 408 × 272 mm |
| Wrong colours on a BERNINA | The INF file wasn't copied | Copy EXP, INF and BMP together |
| Artspira design never arrives | Wrong machine selected, server copy expired, or old firmware | Resend to the right machine and update the firmware |
If a file opens on the computer but not on the machine, open it in the free embroidery file viewer to confirm its format, size and stitch count. If it's in the wrong format, our embroidery file converter rewrites it, and how to open a PES file covers viewing designs on your computer or phone.
New to all of this? The beginner's guide to machine embroidery walks from download to first stitch-out.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't my embroidery machine show the design on my USB stick?
What size USB stick should I use for embroidery?
Can I send embroidery designs from my phone?
Do I need to unzip embroidery designs before transferring them?
Can I transfer embroidery designs with a Mac?
Sources
- Design format types that my machine will read — Brother USA (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Transfer designs to the machine using a USB flash drive — Brother USA (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- USB media and file rules (Innov-is XP series FAQ) — Brother (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- USB flash drive rules (PE-770 family FAQ) — Brother (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Tested USB media list (December 2024) — Brother (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Transferring by USB cable (Removable Disk) — Brother (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Design Database Transfer instruction manual — Brother (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Artspira quick reference guide — Brother (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Machines compatible with Artspira — Brother USA (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Design Database Transfer — Baby Lock (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Transferring designs to a USB stick or ATA card without software (PDF) — Janome America (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- AcuEdit — Janome (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- Downloading and transferring embroidery designs to a USB stick — BERNINA USA (WeAllSew) (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- B 790 PRO instruction manual — BERNINA (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- DESIGNER EPIC 3 user's guide — Husqvarna Viking (SVP) (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
- SE9150 / SE9180 instruction manual — SINGER (SVP) (accessed Oct 2, 2026)
About the author
Magnus Madsen · Founder of Embroidly
Magnus Madsen is the founder of Embroidly. He built the digitizing engine behind the library, the system that turns each drawing into machine files with layered satin outlines, hidden travel and an automatic quality report, and he checks designs in professional digitizing software and test-sews them on real fabric. The guides on Embroidly are researched against manufacturers' own documentation and edited by him.
Designs to try
Related guides
- Embroidery file formats explained: which format your machine usesPES, DST, JEF, EXP, VP3, XXX, U01 and HUS explained: what each format stores, which machine brands read which, and how to convert without surprises.
- Embroidery hoop sizes: 4x4, 5x7, 6x10, 8x8 and more, by machineWhat 4x4, 5x7, 6x10 and 8x8 hoops really stitch in mm, which hoops each machine brand uses, and how to pick a design size that fits your hoop.
- How to open a PES file (and DST, JEF and other embroidery files)PES, DST and JEF files don't open with Windows or macOS alone. Here are the free and paid ways to view them on a computer, a phone or the machine.
- Machine embroidery for beginners: the complete starter guideHow machine embroidery works, which machine type you need, the supplies that matter and a first project step by step, with the mistakes to avoid.