Embird for Windows can be used also on Mac with OS X operating system. However, Windows operating system must be added to the Mac to allow Embird run in its native environment. There are couple of solutions that allow Windows to run on Mac along with OS X. One of them is an application called Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac. TruEmbroidery 3 is a Free Embroidery Software application specially designed for Mac users. It is compatible with most of the machine brands and comes in two packages. The packages will contain new features, inspirational designs, and fonts that can help you create top class embroidery designs with ease.

1. Embroidery Software For Mac Free
2. Embroidery Software For Mac Janome
3. Embroidery Software For Macbook Air
4. Free Embroidery Software For Mac

Can I Install Wilcom EmbroideryStudio on my Mac? What options do I have?

Yes you can! There are basically two options, Boot Camp and Virtualization

Boot Camp is a technology that allows booting your Mac in different operating systems, and the Boot Camp Assistant will guide you to convert a portion of your Mac hard drive into a full Windows PC environment; this is done by partitioning the hard drive, installing Windows on that new partition and use the Mac hardware as a PC (taking advantage of the Intel chipsets). Be aware that in order to use this option you will have to re-boot your Mac every time you want to use Windows.

Virtualization is the ability to run Windows and Windows base programs within the Mac OS as a window without the need of rebooting. By using virtualization you will be able to run EmbroideryStudio e4 (or any other Wilcom product) along with CorelDRAW in your Mac; the virtualization software will allow to share all the Mac services (printing, networking, exchange of files, etc.). There are a few companies out there offering virtualization products, in our case we will focussing in the most renown: Parallels, and VMware Fusion.

Parallels will use the installation of Boot Camp allowing you to use only one version of Windows for both Boot Camp and Parallels; that’s why we are using this product to explain how easy is to run Wilcom ES e4 on your Mac!. For this exercise we have chosen a Macbook PRO laptop running 10.13 (HighSierra) with 8 GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD hard drive.

Getting all the things you need

Through this process we will be:

1. Setting up your Mac
2. Downloading Windows
3. Installing Boot Camp
4. Installing EmbroideryStudio e4 & CorelDRAW
5. Getting and Installing Parallels

Before you get started!Download our PDF version of these instructions.Installing-Wilcom-EmbroideryStudio-on-a-Mac.pdf

Setting up your Mac

The only thing that you need to do before initiating this process is to check that your Mac has enough free space. The minimum recommended is 32 GB; we recommend 48 GB o more so Windows can run properly.

Download Windows

Download Windows 10 image (ISO File) from the Microsoft web page, if you are unsure, just Goggle it and chose the one from microsoft.com, this is the link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10ISO.

When prompted please select Windows 10:

• In ‘Editions’ please choose Windows 10, and;
• In ‘Product Language’ please choose your preferred language

Choose the ‘64 bit download’, this is the only one that will work properly in your Mac.

Installing Boot Camp

Navigate to your Application folder, scroll down until you find the folder “Utilities”, choose Boot Camp Assistant and launch it.

Once you are on the Boot Camp App, click on Continue.

On the ‘Install Windows’ screen please choose the Windows ISO file that you previously downloaded from the Microsoft site, and the decided how much space you are going to spare for the Windows partition. Please be aware that once you have made this decision, will be very difficult to change it, most probably you will require an technician to do it for you.

The installation process will take between 25 minutes to an hour depending on your internet connection and your Mac hardware, the Assistant will install the Windows Support Software, then it will partition your hard drive, install Windows 10 for you and finally install the Boot Camp tools needed to run Windows properly.

Before installing Windows 10, Boot Camp will ask you for your password.

The Windows installation will begin and you will be asked for you personal data, date and time, network and/or Wi-Fi password etc. You will also need to provide an user name and password that will be use every time you log into Windows. Boot Camp and Windows will restart several times during this process. Please take into consideration that you will need to purchase a Windows license to activate Windows, or if you’re working in a company they might provided for you.

Once the installation have finished, your Mac will be restarted; if you want to boot into Windows, please maintain the Option key pressed until you get the following window and choose Boot Camp:

Once you boot into Windows for the firs time you will be asked to install the Boot Camp tools, a set of drivers that will allow you to properly use the Mac hardware in your newly installed Windows 10:

Installing EmbroideryStudio e4 & CorelDRAW

Once the Installation of the Tools have finished you can proceed with the installation of Wilcom EmbroideryStudio e4 and CorelDRAW Graphics Suite following the instructions provided in the product box:

Once you finish with the installation of EmbroideryStudio e4, please install CorelDRAW Graphics Suite:

Getting and Installing Parallels

Download the latest version of Parallels from their website, they have several versions, we tested EmbroideryStudio with their standard version, if you need something fancier, be prepared to pay much more

At the time of this blog, the latest version was 14. Parallels offer a 15 days full trial in case you need to test it before hand. Once you have download click on the parallels.dmg app and follow the instructions:

The first screen that will pop up will give the ability to install Parallels (and Windows) in several ways. Because we have already installed Windows on Boot Camp successfully, the easiest and faster way is by choosing “Use Windows from Boot Camp). You will save not only time but also space in hard drive by avoiding two different Windows installations, one in Boot Camp and the other inside your MacOs.

Is the smartest and easiest way!

If you’re prompted to “Allow Parallels International GmbH” please do so, you have to do this only the first time.

Before launching for the first time you will be prompted to sign in or register an account with Parallels:

Once you’re finished with the registration, launch Parallels from within your MacOs without rebooting and log in into Windows using the same credentials that you use for Boot Camp:

And voila! Now you can use your Wilcom EmbroideryStudio e4 inside your MacOS without rebooting and completely integrated with your other Mac native applications. Don’t forget to verify if there is any updates available for Windows, Apple software, Wilcom or Corel products before enjoying using ES on your Mac!

Note: If you don’t want to deal with the different keyboard shortcuts, the easiest way is by using an USB Windows keyboard when you using Parallels.

Many people turn to embroidery to channel their creative juices. And why not? Embroidery opens up a whole new world of colors and patterns that are both pleasing to the eye and satisfying to make. But every embroiderer knows of the day they run out of creative steam – no matter how hard you try, you just can’t think of a new pattern to embroider. Or that day when you’re just desperate to get a beautiful design to go on your beautiful silk scarf.

Most embroidery machines come with helpful, pre-loaded embroidery designs. But if you’re tired of using them over and over again, a machine embroidery software can help you open and download new designs from the internet. In addition to that, some of the best embroidery software provides resources like fonts and patterns to help you create custom embroidery that truly projects your own style. All you need to do is to install a good software.

Our top picks:

We occasionally link to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products. Some of the links may be affiliate in nature meaning we earn a small commission if an item is purchased. Read my full disclosure here

Table of Contents

• 2 6 Best Embroidery Software in 2020

What makes a great machine embroidery software?

• Compatibility: Not all software are created equal and not all are compatible with most devices. Before you invest in any software, make sure that it’s compatible with both your computer and embroidery machine. You should also make sure that the file format for your software can be read on your embroidery machine. Otherwise, your software is as good as nothing.
• Patterns offered by the software: The whole point of getting an embroidery software is to add new designs to your arsenal. So make sure to take a peek at the diversity of the patterns provided by the software. You don’t want to hit another creative bottleneck because the type of patterns given by your software is limiting and ugly.
• Customer support: This is especially important for newbies since they need some guidance to help familiarize themselves with the product. Pick a software company that offers great customer support. As a bonus, try and find a company with an informative and interactive forum where fellow embroiders share their experience and troubleshooting methods. Trust us, this will make your life infinitely better and easier.
• Licensing: It’s always tempting to get the free software over the licensed one but free software can be more trouble than they’re worth. For one, they often don’t offer product support since they are not monetarily incentivized to do it. They could also come with unwanted malware that might corrupt your computer if you’re not careful. A licensed software offers so much more security and support if you’re having trouble with it.

6 Best Embroidery Software in 2020

There are a lot of options in the market of embroidery software. We get it — it could get overwhelming when going through all of them. Now that you know what to look for in good embroidery program, let’s look at the best embroidery software in 2019.

In this embroidery software reviews article, we’re highlighting 6 that are great in different areas. Regardless of what you concerns are, there’s bound to be a software on this list for you.

Overall top pick – Embrilliance Essentials

Sale Embrilliance Essentials Embrilliance Essentials is an all-rounder. The amount of features packed onto the software plus its affordable price tag makes it the overall top pick on our list. It helps that it works especially well on Brothers PE770 and SE400.

It allows you to customize your designs down to the tiniest details. Automatic stitch recalculation feature makes it possible to resize and color the elements to your design as well as convert the thread brands of your design. One of Embrilliances unique features is the ability to add very large letters and spiral texts to your embroidery. The interactive embroidery design is a great addition as well, since you can now create something that’s truly yours instead of using default designs in the software

Post-design regret is real. To counter that, you can edit and save changes to the design you make again and again. With Embrilliance, you can zip your files to save space in your computer while merging your designs in virtually every existing format.

Now for the downsides.

You can’t import a design into the software by scanning, which means that you can’t put your friend’s embroidery that you love into your embroidery machine. To avoid having issues with the serial number as reported by some users, it’s best to check that out before investing in Embrilliance.

Embrilliance Essentials is the overall winner because of the amount of customization it allows you to do. The demo version is an excellent tool to help you decide if you want to invest in the software. Note: you can’t save your designs in demo mode.

Best for beginners – Embrilliance Stitch Artist Level 1

Stitch Artist software Embrilliance Stitch Artist is a three-level embroidery software that is catered for a range of skill level. Level 1 is the novice level, where complete beginners learn to get a hang of embroidery software.

Its simplicity and intuitive interface makes it a great platform for beginners to start learning machine embroidery on. Stitch Artist mostly focus on design creation; you can use different stitch types and properties to make a custom design. You can also complete projects like running stitch designs, fill simple shapes, fill in backgrounds, applique designs, and unifying components for design compositions with ease

What makes Stitch Artist perfect for beginners is its concern for progression. Since it’s designed for beginners, experienced embroiderers would undoubtedly find limiting. That’s why they made Level 2 and Level 3 for advanced embroiderers. With the increase of level, you’d unlock more features and resources to explore. You don’t have to get Level 1 to get the higher levels, though. You can buy Levels 2 and 3 as standalone programs with a lower price.

Stitch Artist Level 1 is the top contender of the best embroidery software for beginners because they offer enough features without overwhelming the user. It’s also pretty affordable for what it offers. The possibility of expanding the software with Levels 2 and 3 makes it a worthy investment as well.

Best budget and best for lettering – Amazing Designs LETTER IT! Embroidery Machine Software

LETTER IT! budget embroidery program that is also great for lettering

Whenever you need something lettered, LETTER IT! is the software to go! The embroiderer can pick from 35 different and unique fonts for your embroidery. You can also choose from a wide spectrum of colors that would go with even the tiniest differences in your designs. It lets you create texts in different formats — a circle, multi-line, single-lined, curved, and vertical. You can even import your own designs into the software and incorporate lettering into your design.

Unfortunately, LETTER IT! is not supported on MacOS. Since its a software for lettering, it offers limited flexibility when it comes to designs. It doesn’t come with a hard copy manual, and the PDF version online might be frustrating to read. But with enough practice, you’d get through it in no time.

Amazing Designs LETTER IT! Embroidery Machine Software is an amazing software for lettering with a modest price tag. The 30-day trial Amazing Designs provide should give you enough insight when using this software, so be sure to try it out before you buy it.

Best for Monogramming – Brother ELS Embroidery Monogramming Software

ELS program by Brother In terms of monogramming, Brother ELS Software reigns supreme.

Embroidery Software For Mac Free

You’re guaranteed a bunch of frames, styles, and fonts to play with when you run this software. To be specific, it comes with 20 built-in pre-digitized fonts, 5 monogram styles, over 40 decorative frames, 3 built-in texts, and 14 decorative fill patterns. Can you even imagine how many different variations of monogram possible on this beast?

It wouldn’t hurt to ask your machine provider, but ELS Embroidery Monogramming Software works well with most machines in the market – even if it is a hat embroidery machine or a multi-needle commercial embroidery machine such as these. Some users have reportedly unable to edit their designs, but this seems to be a problem among a small group of ELS users. Although it works on all Windows OS, it might stop working once you upgrade your Windows from the older version. Some users also have trouble with the activation number. However, since this is an authentic product by Brother, all the solution to your problems is just a phone call away from Brother’s helpful customer service.

Embroidery Software For Mac Janome

The versatility provided by ELS Embroidery and Monogramming Software is a great addition to your must-have embroidery equipment. Since Brother is a named brand with a great reputation, you can always count on their customer service to help you out with the small amount of issues that come with the software.

Best for Organized Embroiderers – BuzzXplore V2 Premiere Embroidery Design Management

BuzzXplore V2

BuzzXplore V2 will keep any number of your embroidery safe. You can import and tweak as many designs as you want, but you won’t find it difficult to find them afterward. If you’re serious about organization, you can arrange your designs according to a wide range of formats. You can also quickly export your designs onto your external hard drive, USB cards, flash drives, and even Bernina drives with the Embroidery Drive Writing Wizard.

Given that it runs exclusively on WindowsOS, you can only run it on a MacOS via a Windows emulator. You can’t convert a graphics file format to an embroidery file format unless you get Buzz-2-Stitches, which is an add-on extension for V2.

BuzzXplore V2 Premiere Embroidery Design Management lives up to its name of being the best organizer for embroidery designs despite having a couple of kinks in file format and device compatibility. Issues encountered on V2 is also fairly easy to solve.

For Advanced Embroiderers – Embrilliance Enthusiast Embroidery Software for Mac & PC

Embrilliance Enthusiast - best Embroidery Software for Macintosh & PC

Embrilliance Enthusiast offers a wide range of options like stitch editing, baste hooping, multiple hooping, mirror x4, and more. You can control your embroidery down to the T with this mac embroidery software since it’s one of the few programs that offer advance thread editor, advanced sizing control, and stitch properties (to see how it fares compared to other software, not mentioned here read our Sew What Pro vs Embrilliance comparison).

Embroidery Software For Macbook Air

Free Embroidery Software For Mac

Features like Instant Repeat, Scatter, and Carousel make it easier to create and embroider repetitive patterns or designs. It also allows you to save in .png formats; great news for people who like to look at their designs on their phones as a picture. I especially like the multi hooping option as can split a 5×7 design for a 4×4 Brother hoop (e.g. for Brother SE600 embroidery machine)

Some users have complained about the lack of instructions to use the program. This is also part of the reason why we recommend this software to experienced embroiderers in the first place. There might also be a problem with the serial activation number, but that’s easily solvable with a phone call to Embrilliance’s customer service.

Features that allow the embroiderer to tweak and customize their embroideries to their hearts’ content are important for expert embroiderers. Embrilliance Enthusiast definitely fulfills this criterion with their advanced features that are sure to make every enthusiast embroiderer’s lives easier.

Takeaway

• The abundance of embroidery software in the market makes it difficult to decide on which embroidery software to buy. There are many different factors to consider, like price point, skill level, and the features that you actually need.
• Given all the factors, Embrilliance Essentials is definitely our top pick in terms of embroidery software. For a relatively cheap price point, it basically gives you all you’d ever need to make beautiful and personalized designs.
• Although Amazing Designs LETTER IT! is targeted towards lettering enthusiast, it’s affordable price tag makes it possible for budget embroiderers to step into the world of machine embroidery without breaking the bank. It also offers a lot of value for such a modest price.
• We also liked Embrilliance Stich Artist Level 1 as a platform for beginner embroiderers to learn machine embroidering since it’s simple to use. The best part about it is that you can add on more difficult programs to further expand your skills after mastering Level 1.

Do you agree with our picks of embroidery software? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!