CND File

What are CND files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a CND file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your CND files.

What is a CND file?

CND files have multiple uses, and Cnd/Dos Condensed Embroidery Format is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Cnd/Dos Condensed Embroidery Format

Melco Condensed Embroidery is a design format native to Melco's embroidery digitizing software. It holds vector-based outline information of stitched elements - such as fill areas and satin columns - rather than enumerating every stitch. This makes it useful for editing or scaling designs without immediately converting into full stitch-by-stitch instructions.

The design data stored includes the digitized outlines, color assignments, stitch types, stitch direction, and density settings. Artwork saved in this format can later be converted ("exported") into formats that machines use directly. Expanded files (often with EXP extension) are fully detailed stitch files; condensed files are more compact and editable prior to final conversion.

The Melco Condensed format supports changes to size, stitch density, and stitch length while retaining the design's outline information. When opened in compatible software such as EmbroideryStudio, the condensed file format allows conversion to internal stitch types (e.g. Satin, Run, Tatami) and provides settings to control how spares like underlay or color stop codes are mapped.

A design saved in this format begins with a distinctive byte signature: the first bytes are 0x87090000008100000000 at offset zero.

How to open CND files

Important: Different programs may use files with the CND file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your CND file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested eight different CND openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 31, 2026

All known file formats using extension .CND

While Cnd/Dos Condensed Embroidery Format is a popular type of CND-file, we know of 2 different uses of the .CND file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

Harvard Total Project Manager Calendar

We know that one CND format is Harvard Total Project Manager Calendar. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of CND files. Remember, different programs may use CND files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about CND file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.