DST ⇄ EXP Converter
Convert embroidery files between DST (Tajima) and EXP (Melco / Bernina) in seconds. Everything happens in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Your file is converted locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
How it works
Convert a file in 3 steps
Choose your file
Pick a .dst or .exp file from your device. The converter detects the format automatically.
Pick the target format
Convert DST → EXP for Melco and Bernina machines, or EXP → DST for Tajima and commercial heads.
Download the result
The converted file is generated in your browser instantly — download it and load it onto your machine.
Why
A converter that respects your files
DST ⇄ EXP, both ways
Convert Tajima DST to Melco EXP and back, with stitches, jumps and color changes preserved.
Private by design
Conversion runs entirely in your browser. Your file never leaves your device.
Instant & free
No upload, no login, no waiting — pick a file and download the converted result.
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Free Online DST Viewer
Want to see a design before you convert it? Open any DST (Tajima) file with our free online viewer. It renders the stitches with a realistic, true-to-thread preview and shows the stitch count, color count, design size and an estimated machine runtime — right in your browser, with nothing to install and no login required.
Open the DST Viewer- True-to-thread stitch preview on real fabric backgrounds
- Stitch count, colors and exact design size in millimeters
- Stitch-by-stitch animation with estimated runtime
- Files are parsed locally — nothing is uploaded
- Realistic stitch preview for Melco / Bernina designs
- Recolor any block to match your real threads
- Stitch count, colors and exact design size in millimeters
- Files are parsed locally — nothing is uploaded
Free Online EXP Viewer
Open any EXP (Melco / Bernina) file with our free online viewer. It reconstructs the design with a realistic stitch preview and shows the stitch count, color count and design size — and because EXP stores no colors, you can recolor any block before you sew. All in your browser, free and with no login.
Open the EXP ViewerDST vs EXP
What's the difference between DST and EXP?
Both are compact stitch-only formats that store no thread colors — the difference is origin and machine support.
DST (Tajima)
- Has a 512-byte text header with stitch and size info.
- Stores stitches, jumps, trims and color-change stops — but no thread colors.
- The universal production format, read by almost every commercial machine.
- Best for the widest compatibility.
EXP (Melco / Bernina)
- Has no header at all — stitch records start at the first byte.
- Stores stitches, jumps and color-change stops, and no thread colors (Bernina uses a companion .INF file).
- Native to Melco commercial and Bernina home machines.
- Best for Melco and Bernina setups.
Because both formats are stitch-only, converting either way keeps the stitches intact and never loses colors — there were none stored. Read the full EXP file guide
What is embroidery file conversion?
An embroidery machine can only sew a design if the file is in a format it understands. DST (Tajima) is the universal commercial standard, while EXP is the native format for Melco commercial machines and Bernina home machines. Converting between them lets you take a design supplied in one format and sew it on a machine that expects the other — without re-digitizing anything.
Under the hood, both formats store the same core data: the stitch coordinates, jump stitches, trims and color-change stops that drive the needle. Our converter reads that stitch stream from your file and re-writes it into the target format, keeping the stitches identical so the design sews the same way. Neither format stores thread colors, so conversion never loses a palette — the operator assigns threads at the machine in both cases.
Because everything runs locally in your browser, conversion is instant and completely private — your file never leaves your device, which matters when you are handling client artwork or production designs. Whether you received a DST and run a Melco head, or downloaded an EXP and own a Tajima machine, converting takes a couple of seconds and needs no desktop software. Preview the result in the matching viewer to confirm the stitches and size are unchanged, and you are ready to sew.
Benefits
Why use our online converter
Fast, free and private — convert between DST and EXP without re-digitizing or uploading a thing.
Instant, in your browser
Conversion happens locally in milliseconds — there is no upload queue, no processing wait and no software to install.
Free with no login
Convert as many files as you like without an account, a subscription or a watermark on the result.
Stitches stay intact
The stitch coordinates, jumps, trims and color stops are preserved, so the design sews the same after conversion.
Works on any device
The converter runs in the browser on desktop, tablet or phone — no plugins and no operating-system restrictions.
Round-trips cleanly
DST and EXP are both compact, stitch-only formats, so the design converts back and forth without redigitizing.
Preview before you convert
Open the design in the DST or EXP viewer first to confirm size and stitch count, then convert with confidence.
Supported machines
Convert to the format your machine needs
DST and EXP together cover Tajima commercial heads and Melco / Bernina setups alike.
Melco
Convert to EXP — the native production format for Melco commercial machines, including the EMT and Bravo series.
Bernina
Bernina home machines read EXP designs from USB. Convert to EXP so a Tajima-sourced design runs on a Bernina.
Tajima & commercial heads
Convert to DST, the universal commercial standard read by Tajima, Barudan, SWF, Ricoma and most multi-head machines.
Other machines & software
Nearly every digitizing program — Wilcom, Hatch, Embird, Ink/Stitch — reads both DST and EXP, so a converted file opens almost anywhere.
Common problems
Troubleshooting & tips
Quick answers to the issues people hit most when converting embroidery files.
My colors are gone after converting
This is expected. Neither DST nor EXP stores thread colors — both keep only the stitches and color-change stops. The operator assigns threads at the machine, or you keep a color sheet with the design.
The converted EXP won't open on my machine
Make sure your machine reads standard Melco EXP and that you copied the file correctly to USB. If it still fails, open the result in the EXP viewer to confirm the stitches and size look right.
My file won't convert
Make sure you selected a genuine .dst or .exp file and not a renamed or corrupt file. Re-export a clean file from your design software, then try the conversion again.
The design looks different after conversion
Stitches are preserved, but a colorless format displays in a single flat color until you assign threads. Open the result in the matching viewer to confirm the stitches and size are unchanged.
I need a format other than DST or EXP
This converter handles DST and EXP. For PES, use the DST ⇄ PES converter; for JEF, VP3 and other formats, sign in to digitize or export designs from your EmbroidAI library.
Converter questions
It converts embroidery files between DST (the Tajima commercial format) and EXP (the Melco Expanded format used by Melco and Bernina machines). The stitch coordinates, jumps, trims and color-change stops are preserved so the design sews the same, and everything runs in your browser.
Yes. Converting between DST and EXP is completely free and does not require an account or a subscription, and there is no watermark on the converted file.
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser, so your file never leaves your device. Nothing is uploaded or stored, which keeps client and production designs private.
No. The stitch coordinates, jumps, trims and color stops are preserved during conversion, so the design sews the same. DST and EXP are both compact stitch-only formats, so they round-trip cleanly.
No. Neither format stores the actual thread colors — both keep only the stitches and color-change stops. So converting between them never loses colors, because there were none in the file to begin with. The operator assigns threads at the machine.
Convert to EXP if you sew on a Melco or Bernina machine, since EXP is their native format. Convert to DST if you use a commercial Tajima-style machine or want the widest possible compatibility, since DST is the universal production standard.
No. The converter is entirely browser-based and works on desktop, tablet and phone. There is nothing to download or install except the converted embroidery file.
Yes. Open your design in the free DST viewer or EXP viewer to confirm its size and stitch count, then come back and convert it to the format your machine needs.
Both are compact, stitch-only production formats that store no thread colors. DST was developed by Tajima and is the de facto industry exchange format; EXP was developed by Melco and is native to Melco and Bernina machines. They convert cleanly between each other.
Want to do more than convert?
Sign in to save designs to your library, digitize artwork with AI and export to DST, PES, EXP and JEF.