it's normally .exp and when you are buying or downloading from website, download as the .exp. if you get involved with designing around embroidery design, changing it or adding something to it, and your finished working on it, forgive me if I can't remember the entire sequence, but if you need some help with the computer part of it and the working with the software, I "may" be able to offer small smaller bits of information. I have learned a bit more information on this then I thought I would. And if I can't help as much as needed I am sure there may be someone else within the group that can help you, or I can crank up my computer with the dongle key in it and get into one of my files to see if we can help each other along the way. Hope this helps a bit.. especially saving as the .exp format