Embroidery File Viewer

DST is a machine embroidery file format created by Tajima, one of the leading manufacturers of commercial embroidery machines. The format stores stitch-by-stitch instructions that tell an embroidery machine exactly where to move the needle, when to jump without stitching, and when to change thread colors. DST files have been an industry standard for decades and are supported by virtually every commercial embroidery machine on the market.

Unlike image formats that store pixels, a DST file contains precise coordinate data. Each stitch record encodes a relative movement in X and Y directions using a compact three-byte binary format. The file begins with a 512-byte header containing metadata such as the design label, followed by the stitch data stream. This binary structure makes DST files extremely compact — even complex designs with tens of thousands of stitches typically remain under a few hundred kilobytes.

Because DST files are binary, they cannot be opened in a text editor or standard image viewer. Dedicated embroidery software or a specialized viewer like this tool is required to visualize the design before sending it to a machine. Being able to quickly preview a DST file without installing desktop software is invaluable for embroidery professionals, digitizers, and anyone working with machine embroidery designs.

Our viewer processes your DST file entirely in the browser using JavaScript. When you upload or drag-and-drop a file, the binary data is read into memory and parsed according to the Tajima DST specification. The 512-byte header is decoded first to extract the design label, then the stitch data is processed three bytes at a time to reconstruct every stitch coordinate, jump command, and color change in the design.

Once parsed, the stitch data is rendered onto an HTML5 Canvas element. Each normal stitch is drawn as a line segment from the previous needle position to the new position, colored according to the current thread. When the parser encounters a color-change command, it advances to the next color in the palette. Jump stitches — where the needle moves without creating a visible stitch — can optionally be displayed as dashed lines for debugging purposes.

The canvas rendering automatically scales and centers the design to fit the available viewport. You can zoom in to inspect fine detail, change the background color to better visualize light or dark thread colors, and export the rendered preview as a high-resolution PNG image or a formatted PDF document with design statistics included.

Embroidery Businesses — Quickly preview customer-supplied DST files before loading them onto a machine. Verify stitch counts and dimensions match the order specifications without opening full digitizing software.

Digitizers and Designers — Review exported DST files during the digitizing workflow. Check that color changes are in the correct order, verify stitch density, and inspect jump stitch placement before delivering files to clients.

Quality Checking — Use the jump stitch toggle and zoom controls to inspect a design for potential issues like excessive jumps, unexpected color changes, or stitches that extend beyond the intended design boundary.

Sharing Designs — Export the preview as a PNG or PDF to share with clients, team members, or on social media without requiring them to have embroidery software installed.

Archiving and Cataloging — Generate visual thumbnails of your DST file library by exporting each design as a PNG. Build a visual catalog of your embroidery design collection for quick reference.