Free online PEC to PES converter

A Brother or Baby Lock machine, or embroidery application, may require a design in PES instead of PEC. Converting the file makes the existing stitch design usable in that PES-only workflow, but does not add detail that was absent from the original.

What the PEC format is

.pec is a machine-embroidery format developed for Brother systems and used by compatible Brother-family machines and software. It stores stitch commands, thread-color information, and basic design data for sewing a pattern; it is not an image format.

PEC files commonly appear in libraries of designs intended for older Brother-compatible equipment. They are primarily stitch-oriented files, so they may not retain editable lettering, appliqué settings, named thread colors, object boundaries, or other digitizing metadata. The information available depends on how the file was created and exported.

What the PES format is

.pes is a Brother-family embroidery format supported by many Brother and Baby Lock machines and by software such as Brother PE-Design, Hatch Embroidery, Embird, and SewWhat-Pro. A PES file can contain stitch data, thread colors, design information, lettering, and object structure, depending on its version and the software that created it.

PES is useful when the destination machine or application requires it. Its practical advantages over a basic PEC stitch file can include broader support for Brother-family workflows and retention of editable design information when the file was originally digitized as PES. A PEC-to-PES conversion normally cannot recreate that information; it packages the available stitches in the PES format.

Compatibility depends on the PES revision. Check the machine manual or software settings for supported PES versions, hoop dimensions, maximum stitch count, color-change limits, and design size before exporting.

How to convert PEC to PES

Using 101convert.com:

1. Open the PEC-to-PES converter on 101convert.com. The built-in converter can be used free without installing software.
2. Select the file with the .pec extension and choose PES as the output format.
3. Start the conversion and download the resulting .pes file after processing finishes.
4. Open the output in embroidery software and check its preview, dimensions, hoop placement, stitch count, color sequence, and needle movement before sending it to a machine.

For a local conversion, open the PEC file in software that supports both formats, such as Brother PE-Design, Hatch Embroidery, Embird, or SewWhat-Pro. Use File → Open, verify the design size and selected hoop, then use File → Save As or File → Export and select .pes. If the program offers PES versions, select one accepted by the destination machine.

Quality and compatibility checks

Format conversion does not improve digitizing quality, increase resolution, or automatically create lettering and editable embroidery objects. It transfers the available stitch sequence. Poor density, badly placed jumps, unsuitable underlay, incorrect compensation, or flawed outlines in the PEC file remain flaws in the PES output.

Run the converted file through a stitch simulator at actual size. Check the design against the usable hoop area, stitch count, color changes, jump stitches, trims where supported, first and last needle positions, and the machine’s maximum limits. Inspect the result on the intended fabric when the design is production-critical.

PEC color information may be generic or incomplete, so the displayed thread names and colors may not match the thread collection used at the machine. Assign the required thread chart manually and confirm the sewing order. A PES file converted from PEC may also be rejected if its version, hoop size, or design dimensions exceed the machine’s support.

Keep the original PEC file separately. Exporting can discard PEC-specific data, and saving the converted PES file again cannot restore information that was not present in the source.