DST to RTF Converter

Convert DST embroidery patterns to Rich Text Format documents

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Universal Documents

RTF opens in every word processor on every platform — your DST embroidery design reaches any audience without compatibility issues.

Effortless Process

Upload, choose RTF, download. No document formatting skills or embroidery software needed.

Server-Side Conversion

Convertio's cloud processes everything. Your device stays free while the DST is converted to RTF.

How to convert DST to RTF

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose rtf or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your rtf file right afterwards

About formats

DST (Tajima) is a machine embroidery file format created by Tajima Industries, one of the world's leading manufacturers of commercial embroidery equipment. The format encodes stitch data as a sequence of relative coordinate movements, with each stitch record containing a horizontal offset, vertical offset, and a command flag indicating the stitch type — normal stitch, jump (move without stitching), color change, or stop. DST files use a compact binary encoding where each stitch occupies three bytes, making the format efficient for storing complex multi-color designs with tens of thousands of stitches. The coordinate system uses 0.1 mm increments with a maximum single-stitch length of 12.1 mm in any direction. DST has become the de facto standard in the commercial embroidery industry — virtually every embroidery machine from any manufacturer can read DST files, making it the most widely supported embroidery format in existence. One advantage is universal machine compatibility: a DST file will run reliably on Tajima, Barudan, SWF, Brother, and Melco machines alike, eliminating format conversion concerns. The minimal file structure is another strength — files are compact, load instantly even on older machine controllers with limited memory, and their simplicity makes them resistant to corruption during transfer. While DST lacks embedded metadata like thread color names and design previews, this limitation is offset by the format's unmatched portability across the global embroidery industry.
Developer: Tajima Industries
Initial release: 1987
RTF (Rich Text Format) is a document interchange format developed by Microsoft and first published in 1987 with Word 3.0. The format encodes document content and formatting as plain ASCII text using control words (backslash-prefixed commands) and groups (curly-brace-delimited sections) that describe fonts, character formatting, paragraph layout, tables, images, and page setup. Because RTF is fundamentally a text format with no binary components, documents pass cleanly through any text channel — email systems, clipboard operations, and cross-platform transfers — without corruption. Microsoft designed RTF explicitly as a cross-application and cross-platform exchange format, and it achieved broad adoption: virtually every word processor, text editor, and document tool on every operating system has supported RTF reading and writing for decades. One advantage is exceptional cross-platform compatibility — an RTF document created on any application renders with consistent formatting on any other, making it the most reliable format for text exchange between incompatible systems. The text-based structure provides another benefit: RTF files resist corruption, are trivially generated by programs (requiring only string concatenation), and can be debugged by reading the raw markup in a text editor. While RTF lacks modern features like tracked changes and advanced layout controls, and Microsoft declared the specification frozen at version 1.9.1 in 2008, the format persists as a dependable interchange option where DOCX compatibility cannot be assumed.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: 1987

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert DST to RTF?

RTF is universally readable across word processors. Embedding embroidery visuals in RTF ensures maximum document compatibility.

What opens RTF files?

Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, WordPad, TextEdit on Mac, Google Docs, and nearly every word processor supports RTF.

Is RTF good for cross-platform sharing?

RTF is one of the most compatible document formats. Recipients can open it regardless of their operating system or office suite.

Does the embroidery image display in RTF?

Yes — the DST design is rendered as an embedded image within the RTF document, visible in any compatible editor.

Is DST to RTF conversion free?

Convertio offers free DST to RTF conversion — upload and download at no cost.

How long does conversion take?

Most DST to RTF conversions finish in seconds, powered by Convertio cloud servers.

DST to RTF Quality Rating

5.0 (1 votes)
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