Don't retire Publisher

Question

I too ask Microsoft to not retire Publisher. Word has been nothing but frustrating for my needs. It is cumbersome and inefficient.

Answer 1

Word is a horrific answer for us.. We do all of our proposals and engineering reports on publisher where life is simple to integrate images with text and then convert to PDF.. Our company will have a very difficult time moving away from it and will be looking for a 3rd party answer... This is a bad move by microsoft.. Stop updating it, just keep it running as is..

Answer 2

Hello Patricia McKnight

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Forum

I understand your concern about Publisher being retired.

Just to clarify, Microsoft has officially announced that Publisher will reach end of life in October 2026. After that, it won't be included in Microsoft 365, and support will end for both the subscription and on-premises versions.

Here are some steps that you can kindly follow:

1. Convert your existing Publisher files to a long-term format like PDF or Word. Microsoft even provides PowerShell sample script if you have many files to convert.
2. If you are looking for an alternative:
   • Word, PowerPoint or Designer in M365 can help.
   • For more advanced publishing, Affinity Publisher (one-time purchase) or the free open-source tool Scribus are good options.

Note: Microsoft is providing this information as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link.

I know this isn't the answer you hoped for, but with Publisher's retirement set in stone, converting your files and planning for an alternative tool now will make the transition much smoother.

Thank you for your understanding. Hope you have a wonderful day.

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

Answer 3

Hello Patricia McKnight

Is there any update from you?  

If yes, please feel free to let us know. 

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Answer 4

Thank you for your feedback. Microsoft Publisher will be retired in October 2026, but you can continue using it until then.

For alternatives, you may use Word, PowerPoint, or Microsoft Designer, and for advanced layouts, tools like Canva, Lucidpress, or Adobe Express.

To preserve your Publisher files:

 1. Open the .pub file in Publisher.

 2. Export/Save as PDF (File > Export > Create PDF/XPS).

 3. Optionally, save as PNG/JPEG for images.

 4. Copy content into Word/PowerPoint if you want to keep editing.

 5. Backup files in OneDrive or external storage for long-term access.

 Exporting to PDF now ensures your designs remain usable even after Publisher is retired.

Let me know if the issue persists after following these steps. I’ll be happy to assist further if needed. If the issue has been resolved, kindly mark the response as answered

 

Answer 5

Hello Patricia McKnight

Just checking in to see if there’s any update on this thread.  

If your issue has already been resolved, please help the community by marking the helpful reply as an Answer. This makes it easier for others facing similar problems to find solutions quickly.  

If you’re still experiencing the issue, feel free to share the latest details so I can continue assisting.