Is MS really getting rid of Publisher

Hi Don,

Thank you for commenting on our concerns, Could you clarify your comment regarding I can still use Publisher with Office 365 just not get tech support with the subscription (until I get a new computer that is)? I purchased Office 365 last April (annual fee and due again this April 2025), and the reason I had to purchase was I could not use Publisher at all. I was locked out from doing any functions. While I could pull up, open, and see my documents, I could not even print an old document I had done - nothing worked without paying. I am a little skittish thinking Publisher will still be usable to me after the October date based on this experience. Is a stand alone via the link you provided my only option? Sad to say, I am missing the old days of buying disks just for this reason.

I work for a group of churches and we use publisher to do our newsletter and it is so much easier to do in publisher! I hope they adjust word to be able to move graphics easier and the CALENDAR!!! We put a calendar in our newsletter and I cannot find on word to insert a single month calendar on a page that is editable. And I need something with mail merge to put our addresses on the newsletters. One group of churches uses publisher for their bulletins too as they are more creative with the appearance so it is easier on the publisher program. This change is already a heavy nightmare for me because I dont want to be stuck last minute figuring things out on how to change it

R Zickovich wrote:

I agree 100%. Publisher is so much easier to use than Word, and I find it crazy that Publisher would be eliminated versus Word. It would be easier for Word users to learn Publisher than Publisher users to get frustrated using multi steps with subpar results that are so easy to navigate in Publisher. We are told to convert our Publisher files to Word before support ends October 2026, but when you go to save as a word file, a pop up box comes up saying it can only save the text. What the heck? So we will lose all our work done in Publisher because it will only save the text? How is that helpful? I'm paying for Publisher because of the functionality of it and it's ease of use features. I found Word to be less efficient and as stated by other comment, too many frustrating steps with not so great ease of use. I have always been a pro Microsoft user but am very unhappy with this decision. If this is the company's decision, then at least upgrade Word to merge the great features of Publisher, be more user friendly and have the ease of functionality of Publisher.

You can continue to use Publisher. From this post
Announcement - Microsoft Publisher to be discontinued after October 2026

"Users who have the stand-alone edition can keep using the software and reinstall it without any problems. Publisher included with 365 will continue to run on your computer, except if you must reinstall or switch to a new computer - then it's game over."

There are free standing versions of Publisher available.

https://www.bing.com/shop?q=purchase+microsoft+publisher

Don

I agree 100%. Publisher is so much easier to use than Word, and I find it crazy that Publisher would be eliminated versus Word. It would be easier for Word users to learn Publisher than Publisher users to get frustrated using multi steps with subpar results that are so easy to navigate in Publisher. We are told to convert our Publisher files to Word before support ends October 2026, but when you go to save as a word file, a pop up box comes up saying it can only save the text. What the heck? So we will lose all our work done in Publisher because it will only save the text? How is that helpful? I'm paying for Publisher because of the functionality of it and it's ease of use features. I found Word to be less efficient and as stated by other comment, too many frustrating steps with not so great ease of use. I have always been a pro Microsoft user but am very unhappy with this decision. If this is the company's decision, then at least upgrade Word to merge the great features of Publisher, be more user friendly and have the ease of functionality of Publisher.

Announcement - Microsoft Publisher to be discontinued after October 2026

Don