How to view a .PCS file online
Three steps, a few seconds.
Open your .PCS file
Drop your design on the box or click to choose it from your computer or a USB stick.
Check size and colours
See the finished size in millimetres and inches, the hoop it fits, the stitch count and every thread change with its colour.
Watch it stitch
Press play to watch the design being sewn stitch by stitch, or drag the slider to any point. Save a PNG preview for your records.
What is a .PCS file?
Machine instructions, not pictures.
A PCS file is most likely a Pfaff embroidery design, a binary file that holds stitch patterns for Pfaff sewing and embroidery machines. Open it with Embrilliance Essentials, Hatch Embroidery, or Wilcom. Less commonly it may be an old PowerPoint clip-art archive (Office 95/97) or a Yamaha piano style file; the context you found it in will tell you which type you have.
Programs that open .PCS files
| Full name | Pfaff Home Embroidery Design |
|---|---|
| Developer | Pfaff (now part of SVP Worldwide / Singer/Viking group) |
| First released | 1990s (Pfaff Creative embroidery machines and PC software) |
| Category | Data & Other |
| MIME type | application/octet-stream |
Related viewers
Other free tools to open and preview your files.
Frequently asked questions
Is my .PCS file uploaded?
No. Your .PCS file is decoded and drawn. Your designs stay.
Why are the colours different from my design software?
DST and EXP files don't store colours at all, only the places where thread changes. JEF stores Janome thread numbers, which we show with approximate colours. PES and PEC colours use the Brother thread palette.
How long will it take to stitch?
We estimate the time from the stitch count at 600 stitches per minute plus about 30 seconds per colour change. Real speed depends on your machine and the fabric.
Which hoop do I need?
We suggest the smallest common hoop that fits the design's width and height with a little margin. Check your machine's hoop list for the exact sizes.
Can I convert DST to PES here?
Not yet - conversion between machine formats is planned. The viewer already reads all the stitch data a converter needs.
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