How to Transfer Embroidery Designs to a Brother Machine

Last updated: October 2026

To transfer an embroidery design to a Brother machine, save it as a .pes file, copy it to a FAT32-formatted USB stick, plug the stick into the machine and open it from the USB key on the screen. Some older Brother models take designs over a USB cable instead, and newer wireless models can receive designs from Brother’s Design Database Transfer software or the Artspira app. Which routes you have depends on your model, so check the table below before you start.

Which transfer routes your Brother supports

Brother does not use one method across every machine. The table below is built from Brother’s own support pages. If your model is not listed, look up its FAQ page on support.brother.com.

Route	Models Brother lists for it	What you need
USB stick in the machine	Most current models, including the PE, SE, NQ, NS and Innov-is XP series	FAT32 stick, .pes or .dst file
USB cable to a computer	HE1, HE240, LB6770, LB6770PRW, LB6800THRD, NV900D, NV950D, NV990D, PE500, PE525, PE540D, PE545, SB7500, SE350, SE400, SE425	The cable, a computer, and the embroidery unit attached
Design Database Transfer (wireless)	Wireless LAN models such as SE700, SE725, SE2000, NQ1700E, NQ3550W, PR680W and the XE, XJ and XP series	A Windows computer and the machine on your wireless network
Artspira app (wireless)	CX1e, EV1, EV1LE, LB5500, NQ1700E, NQ3550W, NQ3700D, NS1250E, NS1850D, NS2850D, PE545, PE570, PE900, PP1, PR1055X, PR1060W, PR680W, SE2000, SE2100Di, SE700, SE725, XE1, XE2, XJ1, XJ2, XP1, XP2, XP3	A phone or tablet, Wi-Fi, and the latest machine firmware

Brother says the Artspira models work “after installing the latest update,” so update your machine’s firmware before trying the app.

Method 1: USB stick (works on most models)

Step 1: Get the file into a format your machine reads

Brother’s XP-series FAQ lists .pes, .pha, .phb, .phc, .dst and .phx as usable. Brother’s general “this pattern cannot be used” page names .pes and .dst, plus .pen files from iBroidery.com. Older machines are narrower: the PE-770 FAQ lists only .pes and .dst. If in doubt, use .pes, which every Brother home embroidery machine on these pages reads. For more on formats, see our embroidery file formats guide.

If your design came as a .zip download, unzip it first. Brother is clear that zipped designs must be extracted before you transfer them.

Step 2: Prepare the USB stick

Back up anything on the stick, because formatting erases it.
Plug the stick straight into the computer, not into a USB hub. Brother’s formatting guide warns against hub ports.
In Windows, right-click the removable disk and choose Properties to see its current file system.
If it is not FAT32, right-click the disk, choose Format, pick FAT32 in the file system list, and click Start. Brother’s own formatting steps also have you uncheck Quick format first.
Copy your .pes files onto the stick, then safely eject it.

Brother’s XP-series FAQ states that a FAT32 file system is supported and that sticks with other file systems cannot be used. The same page says SD and SDHC cards work on those models but SDXC cards do not.

About stick size: Brother does not publish one capacity limit that covers every model. Its FAQs simply say some USB media may not be compatible, and it publishes USB media compatibility lists for specific models. A small, plain stick is the safest choice. One Brother FAQ adds that formatting a stick to FAT16 may speed up loading, but only on sticks of 2 GB or smaller.

Step 3: Follow the folder and file name rules

These rules cause more “missing file” problems than anything else:

File names: Brother recommends using only the letters A to Z (upper or lower case), the numbers 0 to 9, the hyphen and the underscore. Names with other special characters may not display.
Folders: On older models, keep files in the top level (root) of the stick. The PE-770 FAQ says files in a sub-folder of a sub-folder cannot be retrieved, and Brother’s general troubleshooting page says to save files in the root, not in folders. Newer NQ and NS models can browse folders, but the machine cannot create them, so make folders on the computer.
Number of items: The PE-770 can show a maximum of 200 files and folders combined, and folder access needs machine software version 1.10 or later.
Long names: The PE-770 cuts off file and folder names longer than 8 characters on screen, so put the distinguishing part at the start of the name.

Step 4: Check the design fits your machine

A file can be in the right format and still be refused if it is too big. Brother’s troubleshooting page lists these maximum stitch counts by hoop size:

Hoop size	Maximum stitches
4 x 4 in	30,000
5 x 7 in	50,000
6 x 10 in	150,000
7 x 12 in	300,000

The large Innov-is XP models allow up to 750,000 stitches, 127 color changes and a design up to about 16 x 10-5/8 inches. A design larger than your machine’s embroidery field will not load, so check its dimensions before buying.

Step 5: Load the design on the machine

Attach the embroidery unit. Brother lists a missing embroidery unit as a cause of failed transfers.
Insert the stick fully into the machine’s USB port. Give the machine a few seconds; the PE-770 FAQ says access can take 5 to 6 seconds.
Press the USB key on the screen to see the files and folders on the stick.
Select the design and press the retrieve (or set) key.
Edit if needed, then go to the embroidery screen and stitch.

Method 2: USB cable (older models)

Models such as the PE500, PE525, PE540D, SE350, SE400 and SE425 connect to a computer with a USB cable. Per Brother:

Attach the embroidery unit, plug the cable into the computer, and turn the machine on.
A Removable Disk appears on the computer. Copy your pattern files to it.
On the machine, press the USB key, scroll to the pattern with the arrow keys, and confirm.

Brother’s cautions: do not unplug the cable while data is being written, do not create folders inside the Removable Disk (patterns in folders cannot be read), and do not write or delete data while the machine is sewing. These machines hold a maximum of 12 patterns this way; going over causes an error.

Method 3: Design Database Transfer (wireless, Windows)

Brother describes Design Database Transfer as a Windows application that sends embroidery data wirelessly to wireless LAN compatible Brother machines, with a thumbnail viewer for managing your design collection. Brother does not mention a Mac version. Before it will work, the machine must already be connected to your wireless network, using the wireless setup steps for your model.

If you own PE-DESIGN 11, Brother also documents a Send to Network Machine option. Brother says only the XP1, XP2, XP3, XE1, XE2, XJ1 and XJ2 can connect wirelessly to that software, and the computer and machine must be on the same home network.

Method 4: Artspira app (wireless, phone or tablet)

Update the machine’s firmware and connect the machine to Artspira, following Brother’s connection steps for your model.
Attach the embroidery unit.
In Artspira, pick a design, tap Create, make any edits and tap Done.
Choose your machine and tap Transfer, then OK.
On the machine, open the data pocket icon. Brother says the design lands in the machine’s Temporary Data Pocket.

Troubleshooting: the machine does not see the file

Work down this list. Each item comes from Brother’s support pages.

Wrong format. The file must be one your model reads (.pes is safest). A .zip is not a design file; unzip it.
Special characters in the name. Rename to letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores only.
File buried in folders. Move it to the root of the stick.
Stick not FAT32, or not compatible. Reformat, or try a different stick. Brother says some USB media simply will not work.
Stick not fully seated. Push it all the way in, wait a few seconds, or pull it out and reinsert it.
Design too large. Too many stitches or colors for your hoop, or larger than your embroidery field.
Too many items on the stick. Older machines have item limits (200 on the PE-770). Carry only the designs you need.
Outdated machine software. Brother’s troubleshooting page says to make sure the latest update is installed.
Embroidery unit not attached. Attach it, then restart the machine and reconnect.

If you have a design you want to stitch but it is in another format, our guide on converting an image to an embroidery file covers the software side.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my Brother say “USB media is not loaded”? Brother says it appears when you try to recall or save a pattern and the machine does not detect a stick. Push the stick in fully, wait a few seconds, reinsert it, and try a different stick if it continues.

Can I keep designs in folders on the stick? Newer NQ and NS models can browse folders you create on a computer. Older models such as the PE-770 only read the root and one folder level, and cable-connected models cannot read folders at all. The root is the safe choice.

Does my Brother read DST files? Most do. Brother lists .dst alongside .pes for nearly every model on its support pages, including older ones like the PE-770. If both are offered with a design, .pes is the native Brother format.

Can I send designs from a Mac? The USB stick method works from any computer that can format a FAT32 stick. Brother describes Design Database Transfer as a Windows application, and Artspira runs on phones and tablets.

Is there a file size limit? Brother’s pages limit stitches, colors and design dimensions rather than file size in megabytes. See the stitch count table above.