Stop Fighting USB Sticks: Send PES Designs to a Brother Innov-is M370 with Design Database Transfer (and Keep Them from Vanishing)

If you’ve ever walked a USB stick back and forth between your computer and your machine like it’s 2009, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing anything “wrong.” You’re just leaving valuable production speed on the table.

This post rebuilds the full workflow from the video (download → install → pair Wi-Fi → filter PES files → batch transfer → retrieve on the machine → save so they don’t disappear). But beyond the software steps, I’m adding the real-world guardrails and physical realities I’d give a new shop assistant on day one.

Download Design Database Transfer on Windows 10 the “No-Drama” Way (and actually find the installer)

The video starts exactly where most people get stuck: you click download, then… nothing seems to happen.

What the video does:

• Search for “Brother Design Database Transfer” (or use the Echidna Sewing link), landing on the official Brother support page.
• Select your operating system (Windows is required; the video shows Windows 10).
• Accept the EULA and start the download.
• If the download bar is missing, open File Explorer and check your Downloads folder for the newest .exe file.

Expert reality check:

• The Windows Limitation: This tool is strictly a Windows PC utility. If you function entirely on Mac or iPad, this specific software won't run.
• File Hygiene: Move the installer to a dedicated folder called “Embroidery Utilities” before running it. Future-you will look for this file when you buy a new computer.

Prep Checklist: Before You Download

(Do not skip this. 90% of failures happen here.)

• OS Check: You are on a Windows PC (Win 10/11).
• Network Check: You know the exact name (SSID) and password of your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
• Hardware Check: Your Brother machine is powered on and supports Wi-Fi (check your manual for the Wi-Fi icon).
• File Location: You have a clean folder where your .pes designs live—don't scatter them on the Desktop.

Install the App (Version 1.50.0 shown) without clicking past the one setting that matters

What the video does:

• Run the downloaded .exe installer.
• Choose language.
• Crucial Step: Accept the license agreement (the "Next" button stays grey until you do).
• Optionally uncheck “Send diagnostic data” (personal preference).
• Finish installation.

Where operators lose time: Successful installation means nothing if you can't launch it. The video shows two reliable retrieval methods:

1. Press the Windows key and type “Brother Design Database Transfer.”
2. Look for the specific blue desktop icon created by the installer.

Warning: Never download “driver updaters” or transfer tools from third-party driver sites. Only use the official Brother Solutions Center path properly demonstrated in the video. Corrupted installers can cause connection timeouts that look like Wi-Fi issues.

Pair a Brother Innov-is M370 to the app using Network Machine Settings (and why “same Wi-Fi” is non-negotiable)

This is the moment that turns a frustrated hobbyist into a streamlined operator.

What the video does inside the app:

• Click the Network Machine Settings icon (top toolbar: specific icon with a sewing machine and cogwheel).
• Click Add.
• The app scans the local network.
• Select the machine name (e.g., “SewingMachine296”) → Click Add → Click OK.
• Visual Check: Look at the bottom status bar of the app. It must display your specific machine name.

Why this works (and why it fails): Files don’t fly through the air magic; they travel through your router. If your PC is wired to the web but your embroidery machine is on "Guest-WiFi-EXT," they are in different rooms digitally.

Expert Rule of Thumb: If your machine doesn't appear in the list, the video’s first diagnosis is the gold standard: Confirm both devices are on the exact same Wi-Fi network.

Setup Checklist: Before Clicking "Add"

• Machine Status: Wi-Fi is ON (blue/green signal icon on machine screen).
• Network Match: PC and Machine are connected to the exact same SSID.
• Name ID: You know your machine’s network name (found in machine settings > Network).
• Update Status: Machine is not currently downloading a firmware update.

Filter .PES designs so you only send what your machine can actually read

Once paired, the app becomes a specialized file manager.

What the video shows:

• Left panel: Folder tree (navigation).
• Center panel: Thumbnail grid (visual confirmation).
• Bottom panel: The “Writing List” (your active transfer queue).

The Hard Constraint: Brother machines in this specific workflow digest .pes files. The video explicitly filters the view to show only PES files.

Here is the concept that saves hours of frustration: This app is a Transporter, not a Creator. It does not turn a picture into stitches; it moves stitch files to the needle.

“Can I upload a PNG/JPG logo?” — The classic beginner trap

The comment section is full of this question. The answer is a hard No.

The Technical Reality:

• JPG/PNG are grids of colored pixels (for screens/printers).
• PES is a set of X/Y coordinates for needle movement (for embroidery machines).

If you try to force a JPG into this app, nothing happens. You must use digitizing software (like PE-Design, Hatch, or Embrilliance) to create the stitch file first. Don't gamble your project on free online "auto-converters"—they often create messy stitch paths that cause thread breaks.

Batch-transfer PES files with the Writing List (Ctrl+A → Send)

This is the productivity hack. Stop sending files one by one.

What the video does:

1. Navigate to your design folder.
2. Use the search bar to filter (e.g., "small").
3. Select:
   • Click one file.
   • Hold Ctrl + Click to select multiple specific files.
   • Or press Ctrl + A to select all visible designs.
4. Click the Blue Down-Arrow to drop them into the "Writing List."
5. Sanity Check: Review the list. Highlight and delete any you don't need (Trash icon).
6. Click the Transfer Button (icon: arrow pointing to a machine).

Sensory Confirmation:

• Sight: A progress bar completes rapidly.
• Sight: "Finished outputting data" message appears.
• Time: The batch of ~5 designs took roughly 20 seconds.

Operation Checklist: Before Sending

• Format Check: Only .pes files are in the queue.
• Target Check: Correct machine name is verified at bottom of screen.
• Queue Hygiene: Test files and duplicates have been removed.
• Signal Check: You aren't transferring from a Wi-Fi dead zone (which corrupts data).

Warning (Mechanical Safety): While files transfer, keep your hands away from the machine. The most common injury isn't needle punctures during sewing—it's fingers getting pinched or pricked while distractedly changing hoops or threading during these "downtime" moments.

Find the Wi-Fi Pocket on the screen and verify the transfer

The files are "in the air." Now we bring them to ground.

What the video does on the Brother Innov-is M370:

• Tap the Pocket icon (Memory).
• Tap the Wi-Fi/Cloud icon (distinct from the USB or Machine icon).
• Browse the list.

Expert Note: If the pocket is empty, verify you sent it to this machine. If you have two machines (e.g., a sewing combo and a multi-needle), it’s easy to send to the wrong IP address.

The “Save It or Lose It” Rule: The Volatile Memory Trap

This is the most expensive mistake for beginners. The Wi-Fi pocket is temporary RAM.

The Risk: If you turn off the machine, the Wi-Fi pocket clears. Your designs vanish.

The Fix (from the video):

1. Select the design in the Wi-Fi folder.
2. Tap the Save icon (Pocket with Arrow).
3. Save it to the machine's internal memory (or a USB stick).

Pro Workflow: Treat the Wi-Fi pocket like a Loading Dock, not a Warehouse. Move the goods (designs) into the Warehouse (Internal Memory) immediately upon arrival.

Navigation Reset: When you get stuck in menus

The video highlights a quirk in the Brother interface: Once you load a design to the "Set" screen, you can't always just hit "Back" to return to the Wi-Fi list.

The Workaround: Press Home to reset navigation, then re-enter the Pocket menu. It’s faster than mashing the back button.

Decision Tree: Fabric, Stabilizers & Hooping Strategy

You have successfully transferred the file (Software success). Now you must ensure the embroidery quality (Physics success). Wireless transfer cannot fix bad hooping.

Use this decision tree before you press "Start":

The "Hoop Burn" Diagnostic: If your fabric comes out of the machine with a permanent crushed ring (hoop burn), your clamping force is too high for that textile. This is a primary trigger for upgrading your tools.

The upgrades that make sense (When to move past the basics)

Once wireless transfer becomes second nature, your bottleneck shifts from "data entry" to "physical setup." Here is the logical progression for tool upgrades based on your pain points.

1. The "Hooping Struggle" Stage If you spend 5 minutes wrestling a thick hoodie into a standard plastic frame, or if your wrists hurt after a production run, traditional hooping is your bottleneck.

• The Upgrade: Many operators search for a magnetic hoop for brother compatible with their specific model.
• The Benefit: Magnets clamp instantly. There is no screwing or twisting mechanism. This significantly reduces wrist strain and eliminates hoop burn on delicate items.

2. The "Precision" Stage If your designs are consistently crooked despite careful measurement, manual hooping is likely the cause.

• The Upgrade: Using a hooping station for embroidery alongside your frames ensures repeatable placement for left-chest logos or uniform branding.

3. The "Production" Stage If you are turning away orders because your single-needle machine takes too long to change colors:

• The Upgrade: This is the trigger for a multi-needle machine (like the SEWTECH value series). Combined with a brother magnetic embroidery frame setup, you move from "crafting" to "manufacturing."

Warning (Magnet Safety): If you choose to upgrade to magnetic hoops, be aware they use powerful industrial magnets. Keep them away from pacemakers and sensitive electronics. Watch your fingers—they snap together with significant force (Pinch Hazard).

Common Problems & Quick Fixes

Diagnose issues without waiting for customer support.

Final Sanity Check: What Success Looks Like

You are ready to run when:

1. Software: You can see your machine name in the Transfer App.
2. Workflow: You batch transfer 5 files at once, not 1 by 1.
3. Hardware: You retrieve designs from the Cloud Pocket and immediately save them to local memory.
4. Physics: Your hooping strategy matches your fabric (Decision Tree), and you have the right consumables (needle, bobbin, stabilizer) ready.

Do this consistently, and the technology fades into the background, letting you focus on the art of the stitch.

FAQ

• Q: Why does Brother Design Database Transfer not download or “nothing happens” after clicking download on Windows 10/11?
  A: The installer usually downloaded successfully—Windows just didn’t show the download bar.
  • Open File Explorer → go to Downloads → sort by Date and look for the newest .exe.
  • Move the .exe into a dedicated folder like Embroidery Utilities before running it (keeps future installs clean).
  • Run the installer and make sure the license agreement is accepted (the Next button stays grey until it is).
  • Success check: You can see the .exe file in Downloads and the program installs without errors.
  • If it still fails… re-download only from the official Brother support path (avoid third-party “driver updater” sites).
• Q: Why does Brother Design Database Transfer install but I cannot find Brother Design Database Transfer on my Windows PC?
  A: Use Windows Search or the desktop icon—Windows indexing can lag right after installation.
  • Press the Windows key and type “Brother Design Database Transfer”.
  • Look for the blue desktop icon created by the installer.
  • Reboot the PC once if Windows Search is not returning the app yet.
  • Success check: The app launches and the top toolbar is visible (including the Network Machine Settings icon).
  • If it still fails… re-run the installer .exe and confirm the installation completes normally.
• Q: Why does Brother Innov-is M370 not appear in Brother Design Database Transfer “Network Machine Settings” scan?
  A: Brother Innov-is M370 and the Windows PC must be on the exact same Wi-Fi network (same SSID), not just “internet-connected.”
  • Turn Wi-Fi ON on the Brother Innov-is M370 (confirm the signal icon on the machine screen).
  • Connect the Windows PC to the same SSID as the machine (avoid mixing “Home-5G” vs “Home-2.4” or Guest networks).
  • In the app: open Network Machine Settings → Add → select the machine name (example format: “SewingMachine###”) → Add/OK.
  • Success check: The bottom status bar of the app shows the correct machine name.
  • If it still fails… confirm the machine is not in the middle of a firmware update and re-scan from Network Machine Settings.
• Q: Why does Brother Design Database Transfer not accept JPG/PNG files when sending designs to a Brother Innov-is M370?
  A: Brother Design Database Transfer only transports embroidery stitch files (PES in this workflow); JPG/PNG images cannot be transferred as stitch data.
  • Filter the folder view so only .pes designs are shown and queued.
  • Digitize the JPG/PNG into a PES using embroidery digitizing software (then transfer the PES).
  • Avoid gambling on free online “auto-converters” if the results cause messy stitching and thread breaks.
  • Success check: The file you are sending ends with .pes and displays as a design thumbnail in the app.
  • If it still fails… verify the PES file is not corrupted (try a known-good PES file first).
• Q: How do I batch transfer multiple PES files to a Brother Innov-is M370 using Brother Design Database Transfer “Writing List”?
  A: Use the Writing List queue and send in one job instead of one-by-one transfers.
  • Select designs in the folder grid (use Ctrl+Click for multiples or Ctrl + A to select all visible).
  • Click the blue down-arrow to add them into the Writing List.
  • Delete test files/duplicates from the Writing List (Trash icon), then click the Transfer button (arrow to machine icon).
  • Success check: The progress completes and you see “Finished outputting data” in the app.
  • If it still fails… confirm only .pes files are in the queue and move closer to a strong Wi-Fi signal (dead zones can corrupt transfers).
• Q: Why do designs disappear from the Brother Innov-is M370 Wi-Fi Pocket after turning the machine off?
  A: The Brother Innov-is M370 Wi-Fi Pocket is temporary memory—save the design to internal memory (or USB) immediately after receiving it.
  • On the machine: open Pocket (Memory) → open the Wi-Fi/Cloud pocket → select the design.
  • Tap the Save icon (Pocket with Arrow) and save to internal memory or USB.
  • Treat Wi-Fi Pocket like a loading dock, not storage.
  • Success check: The design appears in the machine’s internal memory/USB list even after a power cycle.
  • If it still fails… confirm you are viewing the Wi-Fi pocket (not USB/Machine) and that you sent to the correct machine if multiple machines are on the network.
• Q: Is it safe to touch the embroidery machine while Brother Design Database Transfer is sending files over Wi-Fi to a Brother Innov-is M370?
  A: Avoid handling the machine during transfer—distraction is when fingers get pinched or pricked.
  • Keep hands away from the needle/hoop area while the app is transferring data.
  • Wait for the “Finished outputting data” message before changing hoops or re-threading.
  • Use the transfer time to verify the queue and confirm the correct machine name in the app status bar.
  • Success check: Transfer completes without interruption and no physical handling was needed during the progress bar.
  • If it still fails… stop and restart the transfer sequence after confirming Wi-Fi stability and correct machine selection.