PLEASE KEEP PUBLISHER!!!!!!!!!!!

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Publisher will reach end of life in October 2026. After that date:

• Publisher will no longer be included in Microsoft 365.
• Existing on-premises suites that include Publisher will no longer be supported.
• Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.

Until October 2026, Publisher continues to work as it does today, with full support.

To prepare, existing Publisher files should be converted before 10/1/2026:

1. To keep viewing content after retirement, convert .pub files to PDF:
   1. Open the Publisher file.
   2. Select File > Save As.
   3. Choose a save location.
   4. Select PDF as the file type and select Save.
2. To keep editing content after retirement, either:
   • Convert the Publisher file to PDF, then open the PDF in Word:
     1. Convert the .pub file to PDF as above.
     2. Open Word.
     3. Select File > Open and choose the PDF.
     4. Select OK in the dialog box to convert it to an editable Word document.
     Note: The converted Word document is optimized for text editing, so layout may differ, especially for graphics-heavy publications.
   • Or use a third-party conversion tool to convert directly from Publisher to another file type. These tools vary in quality and Microsoft does not support them.

For large numbers of Publisher files, bulk conversion can be automated with a PowerShell script that converts .pub files to PDF. The script can be run against individual files, folders, or folders with subdirectories, and is designed to continue running even if some files fail.

For future work that would previously have used Publisher, Microsoft recommends using other Microsoft 365 apps and templates. Common scenarios map to:

• Ads or flyers – Word or PowerPoint
• Brochures – Word or PowerPoint
• Banners, signs, posters – PowerPoint
• Certificates – Word or PowerPoint
• Business cards – Word or PowerPoint
• Business invoices, applications, forms – Word
• Calendars – Word or PowerPoint
• Envelopes – Word
• Labels – Word
• Letterhead – Word
• Newsletters – Word
• Programs and folded paper projects – Word
• Cards (greeting, compliment, etc.) – Word or PowerPoint

A wide range of customizable templates for these scenarios is available at Microsoft Create.

References:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
• Publisher help