How to install Publisher 2021 standalone and keep using my Microsoft 365 subscription

Question

How to install Publisher 2021 standalone and keep using my Microsoft 365 subscription

Liz Stefany 10

After much searching online, I just purchased a standalone copy of MS Publisher 2021 so that I will still have access to my .pub files after the notice that I will be rudely denied access to my files after October 1. I tried to install it, but it is asking me to uninstall:

Microsoft OneNote pt-br fr-fr es-es en-en

Microsoft 365 pt-br fr-fr es-es en-en

How can I use these side by side? Thank you.

Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-05T22:32:46.7866667+00:00
I am having the same grief as you.

Maybe this info will be helpful.

I installed a standalone Publisher 2007 on my Windows 10 machine.

There were no objections from the existing installation of Office 365. I am able to open my dot-pub files in either version of Publisher.

That is to say, Publisher 2007 does open Publisher files created in March 2026 in Office 365. They are side-by-side on the same PC, within the same user account.

However, the files open poorly. Small one-page flyers can be readily repaired. But 12-page newsletters, open really badly and would take a lot of work to restore.

Despite the poor openings, at least I can see what the contents of the file are.

My Publisher 2007 does not have a way to save as PDF.

Microsoft a few years later than 2007 introduced an add-on to save Publisher 2007 files as PDFs. But -- no surprise! -- that add-on is no longer available.

I understand that there are third-party PDF-conversion programs that reputedly are able to import Publisher 2007 files and save them as PDFs. I have not test one yet.

I am hopeful that I can use Publisher 2007 to do the 12-page newsletter. The structure is fine. The problems arise with the behavior of fonts and paragraph styles. And then, of course, the BIG problem of needing to save as a PDF for the printer to make hundreds of copies.

2 answers

Your answer

Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-05T22:32:46.7866667+00:00

I am having the same grief as you.

Maybe this info will be helpful.

I installed a standalone Publisher 2007 on my Windows 10 machine.

There were no objections from the existing installation of Office 365. I am able to open my dot-pub files in either version of Publisher.

That is to say, Publisher 2007 does open Publisher files created in March 2026 in Office 365. They are side-by-side on the same PC, within the same user account.

However, the files open poorly. Small one-page flyers can be readily repaired. But 12-page newsletters, open really badly and would take a lot of work to restore.

Despite the poor openings, at least I can see what the contents of the file are.

My Publisher 2007 does not have a way to save as PDF.

Microsoft a few years later than 2007 introduced an add-on to save Publisher 2007 files as PDFs. But -- no surprise! -- that add-on is no longer available.

I understand that there are third-party PDF-conversion programs that reputedly are able to import Publisher 2007 files and save them as PDFs. I have not test one yet.

I am hopeful that I can use Publisher 2007 to do the 12-page newsletter. The structure is fine. The problems arise with the behavior of fonts and paragraph styles. And then, of course, the BIG problem of needing to save as a PDF for the printer to make hundreds of copies.

Answer 1

Tom van Stiphout 40,201 MVP Volunteer Moderator

The above "advice" about installer technologies is correct, unfortunately.
What they fail to mention is that you can have a Virtual Machine on your computer (assuming you have a decent amount of memory)) with Windows and Publisher (and without other Office components), so you can use it in a pristine environment. Hyper-V is an optional component of Windows, and you can activate it via Control Panel > Programs and Features > left panel > Turn Windows features on or off.

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Answer 2

Xavier-D 6,845 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Liz Stefany

Thank you for reaching out.

The reason you are seeing this prompt is that Publisher 2021 and Microsoft 365 usually cannot be installed side by side on the same PC when they use the same Office installation technology/version. In that situation, the installer may ask to remove Microsoft 365 components such as Office and OneNote before continuing.

To help you move forward, you can try one of these options:

Keep Microsoft 365 on this PC and continue using Publisher there for now, then convert important .pub files to another format such as PDF before Publisher support ends.
Install Publisher 2021 on a different PC if you want to keep Microsoft 365 unchanged on your current device.
If you want Publisher 2021 on this same PC, you will first need to uninstall Microsoft 365, then install Publisher 2021.

Please also note that Microsoft’s current Publisher retirement notice says Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher after October 2026, and it recommends converting existing files before then.

You can read about this info here: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026

Feel free reply back to this post if you need further assistance, I'll be happy to help.

Xavier-D 6,845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-02T23:49:38.25+00:00

Hi Liz Stefany

I’m following up to check on the status of this issue.

Have you had an opportunity to review the answer shared earlier?

Any update you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Liz Stefany 10 Reputation points

2026-04-03T13:40:22.51+00:00

It is unacceptable that I am blocked from running a standalone licensed program which I have purchased. I am looking for a way to do this - I had run across old information on disabling publisher from my 365 subscription, but the steps were not relevant. I am looking for a solution, and DO NOT want to convert to another program.
Xavier-D 6,845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-04T00:01:35.24+00:00

Hello Liz Stefany

I understand how frustrating this situation feels, especially since you’ve purchased a standalone Publisher license and simply want to use it.

At this time, Microsoft 365 and Publisher 2021 cannot run side by side on the same Windows installation. This is because both products use the same Office installation technology and shared Office components. When overlapping Office apps are detected, Windows requires one product to be removed before the other can be installed.

I found this thread that could prove to be useful for your situation as a workaround:

Can I install both Microsoft 365 and Office 2021 on the same computer in different user profiles

This thread proposes installing Office 365 and Office 2021 (or Publisher 2021) on two different user profile on one computer

You should check this out to see if it's truly suitable for your situation.
Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-05T22:34:11.4966667+00:00
I am having the same grief as you.

Maybe this info will be helpful.

I installed a standalone Publisher 2007 on my Windows 10 machine.

There were no objections from the existing installation of Office 365. I am able to open my dot-pub files in either version of Publisher.

That is to say, Publisher 2007 does open Publisher files created in March 2026 in Office 365. They are side-by-side on the same PC, within the same user account.

However, the files open poorly. Small one-page flyers can be readily repaired. But 12-page newsletters, open really badly and would take a lot of work to restore.

Despite the poor openings, at least I can see what the contents of the file are.

My Publisher 2007 does not have a way to save as PDF.

Microsoft a few years later than 2007 introduced an add-on to save Publisher 2007 files as PDFs. But -- no surprise! -- that add-on is no longer available.

I understand that there are third-party PDF-conversion programs that reputedly are able to import Publisher 2007 files and save them as PDFs. I have not test one yet.

I am hopeful that I can use Publisher 2007 to do the 12-page newsletter. The structure is fine. The problems arise with the behavior of fonts and paragraph styles. And then, of course, the BIG problem of needing to save as a PDF for the printer to make hundreds of copies.
Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-05T22:35:44.9133333+00:00

I hope my suggestion does not alert Microsoft to take action against what might be a meager solution,
Xavier-D 6,845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-07T00:11:48.3+00:00

Hello Dana Gurnee

Thank you for sharing your experience with Publisher 2007, that’s actually very useful to know. Older Publisher versions use a different installation model

Which explains why they can still run side by side with Microsoft 365 in some cases, even though newer perpetual versions cannot. That insight may also help other users who are in a similar situation.

Regarding converting Publisher 2007 files to PDF, since that version doesn’t include built‑in PDF export, you should try looking for Microsoft Print to PDF function:

Open the file in Publisher 2007, Select File > Print. From the Printer list, choose Microsoft Print to PDF

If this function is available in Publisher 2007, it could be a practical way to convert file to pdf without converting to another program.

Because This creates a standard PDF that can be viewed, shared, or sent to a printer. It’s especially useful when direct PDF export or older add‑ons are no longer available.
Liz Stefany 10 Reputation points

2026-04-09T11:10:54.0666667+00:00

I guess what would be most helpful to me is to know that once MS gets rid of publisher in 365, will it allow standalone copies to be installed? This seems like a completely obvious solution, but obviously, it must be asked…
Xavier-D 6,845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-10T00:08:54.33+00:00

Hello Liz Stefany

To answer your question: Yes, you are still allowed to install Publisher standalone version after end of support date.

If Publisher was purchased as part of a one‑time‑purchase Office suite (such as Office 2019 or Office 2021 Professional), the app can still be installed and will continue to run locally after October 2026.

However, it will still be unsupported, meaning no security updates, bug fixes, or compatibility guarantees going forward.
Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-10T04:03:21.3+00:00

But Liz would NOT be able to have Office 365 on the same computer -- correct?

While it may be possible to "survive" with Office 2021, there may be times when it is not able to handle files that come from other people who made those files in the latest versions of Office 365.

And I wonder if my printer -- meaning the printing service that makes hundreds of copies of my newsletter, not my personal printer -- would have problems working with an "old" PDF.
Xavier-D 6,845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-10T04:47:17.82+00:00

Yes, that would be correct. Those 2 versions together on the same PC would inevitably be causing conflict for each other.

About working with files created in newer Microsoft 365 versions:

That concern is valid. Office 2021 can usually open files created in Microsoft 365, but because Microsoft 365 continues to evolve, there may be cases over time where:

Newer features are reduced or flattened when opened in Office 2021 or files open correctly but lose newer formatting or collaboration features

About your printer and printing old PDFs:

From a commercial printing standpoint, an “older” PDF is generally not a problem at all, as long as it’s a standard PDF generated with embedded fonts and proper print settings

A PDF produced from Publisher (even an older version) using proper print or export settings is typically accepted without issue. The age of the software that created the PDF is far less important than the quality of the PDF itself.
Liz Stefany 10 Reputation points

2026-04-10T11:12:42.57+00:00

To clarify, I do not have publisher as part of the full 2021 office suite, it’s publisher as a standalone product. I would like to see Microsoft allow it to be installed alongside 365 once publisher is no longer part of 365. I can’t see how there would be any conflict of interest at that point. I understand it will be unsupported, but I am feeling extremely unsupported by Microsoft with them pulling publisher, so I’m more than willing to live with it as long as I can keep using the program I am accustomed to.
Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-13T19:46:31.1166667+00:00

What a nice idea you have.

It certainly seems reasonable that Microsoft would allow Standalone Publisher 2021 to (a) be installed and (b) to persist as an application on your hard drive, along with Office 365, if (c) the installation is attempted after "365 Component Publisher" is extracted from Office 365.

What right could Microsoft possibly assert to disallow that? After all, it's the same operating system. I can forgive Microsoft by disallowing me from installing Office 2021 on a 2014 Windows 8.1 laptop, which I would like to do.

I guess I'm mansplaining. Anyway, if your strategy is to wait for the extraction day and to then install Standalone Publisher 2021, I think it's a good one.

In another comment I will describe trying to set up another user profile.
Dana Gurnee 25 Reputation points

2026-04-13T22:21:16.8066667+00:00
Above, Xavier D provided a discussion about having different user profiles as a way to have Office 365 and Publisher 2021 on the same computer.

I may have attempted this incorrectly or ineptly, but here is what happened to me.

Maybe not understanding what is meant by "different user profiles," I create another user on my computer. Let's call it User B, with User A being the user I already have.

Before embarking, I create a Restore Point.

Making a new user is fraught and fails to complete when I follow the first suggested procedure. Too complicated to recount.

I easily create a new user, User B, through Control Panel.

Setting up User B requires me to answer a few questions about how I want to set up Windows. Not may questions, though; far fewer questions than when I set up the first user years ago. However, I am unhappy that I need to restate things about, for example, privacy preferences.

User B has a new desktop scene. That makes sense.

However, User B has shortcuts on the desktop that point to apps "owned" by User A. These shortcuts are few and they make no logical sense. Some of them are to obscure apps that I haven't used for years. Similar shortcuts are not present under User A.

User B's program list shows Microsoft apps, such as Cortana, that I uninstalled years ago under User A.

User B Start Menu (!) offers access to dozens of folders owned by User A. Those folders are not offered by the Start Menu under User A.

User B has "program tiles" for Office 365 components, excluding (!) Publisher. (It does so without having "enrolled" with Microsoft.)

Given User B's "awareness" of Office 365, I deduce that installing Publisher 2021 will not be tolerated at this time.

User B's interface indicates that Microsoft Edge is the default browser, which is not what User A stipulates.

There are many more troublesome aspects to User B's setup. I do not delve into what User B can see on the hard drive or under User A in Explorer.

When I switch back to User A, I see that added to User A's program list are many apps that were not there before -- for example, Cortana, Solitaire, and various games. I regard this as a disaster for my peace of mind about how I've set up User A.

I decide to undo this. But my Restore Point is gone!

I delete User B through Control Panel.

I spend 30 minutes or more looking for damage done to User A. I don't see much, but I do delete Cortana and the games.

++++

So, my question is: Did I misunderstand what was meant by establishing a different "user profile"?
Xavier-D 6,845 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-14T01:05:05.2366667+00:00
Hello Dana Gurnee

Thank you for laying all of that out so carefully.

Based on what you described and after testing this myself the solution from the thread I provided, I can confirm that you did not misunderstand or misconfigure anything.

The issue is that creating a second Windows user account does not create a separate Office installation environment. Even though User A and User B appear independent on the surface (different desktops, preferences, start menus), Office and Microsoft 365 are installed at the system level, not per user. All Windows users on the same machine share the same underlying Office components.

Because of that:

Microsoft 365 is still present for User B, even if it hasn’t been signed into

Publisher (from Microsoft 365) is still registered at the system level

Installing Publisher 2021 remains blocked, regardless of which user is logged in

In short:

Your setup attempt was valid

The behavior you saw is expected Windows behavior

Separate user accounts cannot bypass the Office installation conflict

I appreciate you documenting this so thoroughly. It helps clarify that this approach, while logical in theory, unfortunately doesn’t solve the underlying limitation.

You should also check out another answer in this thread provided by Tom van Stiphout, they suggest using virtual machine on the same pc to install another version of Office to be able to use 365 and 2021 side by side.

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How to install Publisher 2021 standalone and keep using my Microsoft 365 subscription

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