Brother PE Design is embroidery software that allows users to create custom embroidery designs on their computer for transfer to their Brother embroidery machine. Being over a decade old, the software has seen 9 major updates over the years, the latest being ‘PE Design Next’.
As computers have evolved newer versions of operating systems have come out, at the time of writing the latest version from Microsoft is Windows 7.
Versions 5 and 6 of PE-Design will not run on Windows 7 64-bit, but will run on Windows 7 32-bit by downloading a patch from the Brother service and support website.
PE-Design 7 will run on both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 as long as you update the software again with a free download patch from the site just mentioned.
PE-Design 8 and PE-Design Next have full functionality out of the box with Windows 7 64-bit and 32-bit.
The most sensible solution if you have an older version is to update your Brother Design software to a version that works on Windows 7 (64 bit). Not only will you get a version that’s more stable on newer PCs, but you’ll also benefit from significant improvements in program functionality and some great new features.
At the time of this writing, you can still purchase a version 8 upgrade, which allows you to upgrade from 5, 6, or 7 to a full PE Design 8. You’ll find version 8 upgrade kits priced up to £100 cheaper than the latest ‘Next’ version upgrade and for most users the features and specifications offer excellent value for money.
Anyone upgrading from version 6 will enjoy the benefits of upgrade 7 and 8 in one. There is also an instruction manual printed with version 8, while the manual had to be printed from the installation CD for version 7. A deeper understanding of the program can be obtained from an extensive .pdf file and help via F1 on the keyboard.
There are 500 embroidery designs included with the program, the stippling stitch is faster and better than version 7 with the ability to use new decorative stitches for a great look.
For the latest version, PE-Design Next, Brother has completely overhauled the interface to look and operate in the style of current Microsoft Office programs. At first, those who have been working with older versions over the years take some getting used to, but the improvements really are quite dramatic once you get the hang of it. 100 pre-digitized fonts are now supplied, you can create mirror effects which are great for quilting and there is also a spirograph function.
The update package is a software update that checks for a previous version on your PC before installing the full program. You will need to load your previous version of PE-Design on the PC first, but do not try to open or run it. Just install the new version right away.
You will need Internet access to enter the key code provided with the software that will “update” the card reader/writer module to work with the latest version.
It is important to note that the card reader/writer acts as a security dongle and once the update has been assigned to the card reader, the software code cannot be used again to update another card reader. Some people have unknowingly bought upgrade kits that are lifeless and unusable, so be careful.
What you can do is load the program on another PC or laptop and as long as you put the card reader on the PC as well, it won’t work. In other words, the software can be used on any PC, but it will only work if you also put the card reader into a USB port.
Steps on how to upgrade from previous versions;
- Install your current version of PE Design on your Windows 7 computer
- Don’t run/start the installed version
- Install your update from disk
- Run your newly installed software