Stitch Sprint Help › Start here
Troubleshooting
Find the problem, then do what the right-hand column says. Still stuck? See Getting more help at the bottom.
Opening the app
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The computer asks whether to open it | Click Open. It asks only the first time |
| The window shows an error | Click the button in the window to start Stitch Sprint again. If it happens again, see Getting more help |
| It shows the wrong version | Quit it (⌘Q on a Mac) and open it again |
A .design file opens in another app | Right-click it > Get Info > Open with: Stitch Sprint > Change All… |
| A DST opens in another app | That's on purpose: Stitch Sprint doesn't take over DST files. Right-click > Open With > Stitch Sprint, or drop it on the Dock icon |
Signing in
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The code email doesn't arrive | Wait a minute and check spam or junk. Check the address is the one you subscribed with (Use a different email to change it), then ask for a code again |
| "That code didn't work" | Check the six digits, or ask for a new code |
| "Too many codes were asked for" | Wait a minute and try again |
| "No active subscription" | Use the email you checked out with (Sign in with a different email). Just subscribed? Click I've subscribed, check again |
| "The free alpha has ended" | The alpha ran until 11:59 pm on November 26, 2026 (US Eastern). Your designs are still in the saved designs folder. Choose the early adopter subscription or the Founders Edition on that page, use the same email at checkout, then click I've bought one, check again |
| The window went to "The free alpha has ended" while I was working | The alpha ended at that moment. A design that wasn't saved is not kept: in the last day the top right of the window shows Alpha ends and the time, so save before then |
| "Already in use on" two computers | Remove one of the two listed (it is signed out), or Sign out on the other computer first |
| "Computers have been swapped too often this month" | Removals are limited to 3 in 30 days. Try again later, or contact support |
| "Couldn't reach the Stitch Sprint licence service" | Check the internet connection and try again. Once signed in, it works 7 days offline |
| "Check the date and time on this computer" | Set the date and time automatically (on a Mac: System Settings > General > Date & Time), then open it again |
| "Sign in to Stitch Sprint again" | It has been offline more than 7 days, or was signed out. Connect and sign in |
| The app is locked | The subscription ended or this computer was removed. Your designs are still in the saved designs folder. Subscribe again from the link shown |
| "Your Christmas Collection 2026 couldn't be downloaded" | Check the internet connection. Stitch Sprint tries again the next time it opens. Still missing a day later? Contact support |
| The Thanksgiving Collection never appeared | It comes to everyone who signed up during the free alpha, a minute or so after signing in with internet on. If you deleted its folder, it doesn't come back by itself: contact support |
| The Christmas Collection never appeared | It comes with subscriptions started by the end of December 25, 2026. Sign in with the email you subscribed with. If you deleted its folder, it doesn't come back by itself: contact support |
More in Your subscription.
Feedback
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| A note says Waiting to send | It is kept on your computer. Check the internet connection, then click Send now on the Feedback tab; it also goes the next time Stitch Sprint opens |
| "Too many notes were sent today" | The note is kept and goes tomorrow |
| "This computer can't open an iPhone HEIC photo" | On Windows, export the photo as a JPG first (on the iPhone: Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible makes new photos JPGs) |
| "isn't a photo Stitch Sprint can open" | Add a JPG or PNG. Artwork, PDFs and videos can't be attached |
| There is no box to send the stitch file | It shows only while a design is on the hoop (or a file is open in Check a DST). Open the design first, then the Feedback tab |
| I sent the wrong thing | A sent note can't be changed. Send another note that says so |
More in Feedback.
Opening artwork
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
An .ai file won't open | Save it again from Illustrator with Create PDF Compatible File ticked, or save as PDF or EPS |
| An opening sews filled (white in a hole), and switching the shape off takes all the white with it | The white is one joined shape. Click the white layer's name, then drag a loop round the opening on the hoop: just that area is cut out |
| A shape from the art is missing | Shapes under 1 mm² or thinner than 0.4 mm can't sew and are skipped; the report says how many. Make them bigger in the art |
| A picture placed in the art is ignored | Trace it in Illustrator (Image Trace > Expand), or drop the picture into Stitch Sprint on its own |
| A gradient sews as one colour | That's expected: gradients sew in their average colour. Use solid fills |
| One area sews twice (very dense) | The art has shapes stacked on top of each other. Run Pathfinder > Merge in Illustrator |
| Text in an EPS came out in another font | The EPS only named its font. Install the font, or outline the text in Illustrator |
| A colour is missing from a PNG or JPG logo | Raise Colours under Picture, and check Background colour inside the logo |
| Letter openings in a picture logo sew when they should be fabric | Set Background colour inside the logo to Leave as fabric |
| A white outline round a logo disappeared | On a white background a picture can't hold it. Use the vector file |
Lettering
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Small text looks rough | Make it bigger (0.25 in or more; 0.3 in for script), or pick a bolder font |
| Letters came out as fill, not satin | The strokes are too wide for satin (over about 6 mm). Make the text smaller, pick a lighter weight, or set Stitch to Satin and check it |
| Letters came out as a thin run | They are too small for satin. Make them bigger, or pick a bolder font |
| Some characters are missing | The font doesn't have them; the report says which. Pick another font |
| A thin stitch shows between letters | Switch on Trim between letters (under Stitch) |
| Script letters don't join | Set letter spacing to 0 |
| A font shows a licence warning | It's marked personal use, trial or non-commercial. Use an Included font, or buy a commercial licence before selling |
| The outline is missing | The letters are too thin to carry one; the note says so. Make the text bigger or bolder |
| The outline gap closed up | Use a gap of 0.8 mm or more |
| A design file's text came out in another font | That font isn't installed on this computer. Install it, or pick an Included font |
The check (red or amber)
| The check says | What to do |
|---|---|
| Save DST is greyed out | A check failed (red). Read the checks on the right |
| Larger than the sewing field | Make the design smaller |
| More colour stops than needles | Use the same thread for close colours, or click Reorder when the app offers it |
| Peak density (a dense spot) | Make fill rows a little further apart (Row spacing), or remove overlapping shapes in the art |
| Longest stitch over 10 mm | In your own design: check the art for a long thin spike. In a DST from elsewhere: use Fix it |
| Jump without a trim | In a DST from elsewhere: use Fix it |
| Many tiny stitches | In a DST from elsewhere: use Fix it |
| A ring with a label on the hoop | One of Places to check: its label says what it is. Not a failure: look at that spot on the preview and on the test sew |
| "Too thin to sew: left out" round the whole design | The artwork has a hairline shape (often an outline) thinner than 0.4 mm. Make it thicker in the artwork to sew it, or ignore it |
| I changed a thread but the colour looks the same | Pick the thread under Threads or from the layer's swatch under Layers; the hoop redraws once the design is joined again. Changing colours in the artwork itself needs the file opened again (Replace) |
More in Safety check and doctor.
Stitch files from customers
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The colours are wrong | DST files carry no colours. Click each stop under Threads and pick the real thread |
| The design looks too dense or too open after resizing | Scaling stitches changes density. Keep within 90-110%, or get the artwork and digitize it at the new size |
| The doctor won't fix it | It doesn't fix a design too big for the field, too many colours, or a dense spot. Those need fixing where the file was made |
On the machine
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| The colours sewed in the wrong order | Set the needles from the needle order in the report or worksheet, not from the screen colours |
| Gaps between colours or outlines | Pick the right Fabric before saving; check the stabilizer the worksheet lists; test sew |
| Fabric shows through a fill | Make Row spacing a little smaller (0.18 mm), or use a firmer stabilizer |
| The fill is stiff | Make Row spacing a little larger (0.22-0.25 mm) |
| Lettering sinks into a towel or fleece | Switch on Knockdown and use water-soluble topping |
| Puckering on a knit | Use cut-away stabilizer (no-show mesh for light knits) |
| A cap design pulled out of shape | Switch on Cap (or use the Cap front preset) and keep it about 2.25 in tall |
| A fixed DST sews oddly | Sew the original and the fixed copy side by side, and keep the one that sews better |
More in the best practice guide.
Saving and files
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Where did my design go? | File > Show Saved Designs |
The file is called NAME_v2 | Files are never overwritten: each save makes a new version |
A file is in rejected | It failed the check after saving. Don't sew it; fix what the check says and save again |
| A customer needs PES (or JEF, EXP, XXX, U01) | Switch on Also save as under Save DST, then save |
| The proof isn't the right size | Print it at 100% (actual size), not "fit to page" |
| The proof has no price | Fill in price per 1,000 stitches under Shop name and prices… |
Getting more help
- Look up the feature in this Help center (the search box at the top finds any word). To tell us how a design sewed, or to ask for a feature, use the Feedback tab in the app.
- Note the version at the top right of the window.
- Save the log: Help > Show the Log File (on a Mac it is
~/Library/Logs/Stitch Sprint.log). - Email darrin@stitchsprint.com with what you did, what you expected, the version, the log, and the design or artwork if you can share it.