SOFTWARE

Which free cross stitch software for Windows 10 and 11?

Practical guide · 5 min read · updated on November 1, 2026

A cross-stitched rose in a hoop, next to its chart on a tablet and skeins of floss — The stixiva studio, in the browser or in its Windows app.

A lot of cross stitch software for Windows dates from before Windows 10 and is no longer updated. Here’s what to check before choosing one, and the two ways to use stixiva on a PC.

Installed or online software?

Installed software opens in its own window and stores your files on disk. Online software opens in the browser, with no installation, and your charts follow you from one device to another. On a recent PC, both are equally good: choose what you’re used to.

What good software should do

Turn a photo into a chart, then let you edit it stitch by stitch.
Offer DMC and Anchor threads with their real color numbers.
Handle half stitches, three-quarter stitches and backstitch.
Flag isolated stitches and count the skeins to buy.
Print a readable PDF pattern, with symbols and key, without paying per pattern.
Open your old files if you switch software.

stixiva on Windows: two ways

In the browser. Edge, Chrome or Firefox is all you need: create your free account and the studio opens, nothing to install.

With the Windows app. For 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, it opens the studio in its own window and saves your .embx files on your computer. An internet connection is still required. The stixiva-setup.exe file is available on the Windows app.

Install the app in three steps

Download stixiva-setup.exe from the Download.
Open the file and follow the installer. Windows may show a security warning for new software: check that the file really comes from stixiva.com before continuing.
Launch stixiva and sign in with your account, the same one as on the website.

Your old files: PCStitch (.pat), Pattern Maker (.xsd), OXS and .wxs patterns open in the studio. You don’t start from scratch when you switch software.

What if you also have a Mac or a tablet?

On those devices, the studio opens in the browser, with the same account. You can draw on the PC and check off your stitches on the tablet while you stitch.

To compare with PCStitch, WinStitch and others, see the software comparison and the page cross stitch software.

FAQ

Is there free cross stitch software for Windows 10?

Yes: stixiva is free during the beta, in the browser or with its Windows 10 and 11 app (64-bit).

Does the Windows app work offline?

Not yet: it opens the online studio in its own window. Your .embx files stay on your computer.

Can I open my PCStitch files?

Yes: PCStitch .pat files, like .xsd, .oxs and .wxs, open in the studio.

Cross stitch on your PC.

In the browser or in its Windows window, the studio is free during the beta.

Discover the cross stitch software