How to continue using MS publisher after end date

Question

I want to continue using ms publisher after october 2026. I know i cannot keep it with my office 365 subscription but what are my options?

Answer 1

See my response to:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5852660/what-application-can-i-convert-publisher-file

Answer 2

Hello @Dave Skardon

I understand that you really want to continue using MS Publisher, but as I have checked, there is an official announcement from Microsoft about it:

"In October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life. After that time, it will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 and existing on-premises suites will no longer be supported. Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher. Until then, support for Publisher will continue and users can expect the same experience as today."  Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support

If you still have any difficulty during the transfer process or with the alternative recommended for MS Publisher, please come back and you will receive advice to move forward.

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Answer 3

After October 2026, options depend on whether Publisher is part of a Microsoft 365 subscription or a perpetual (one‑time purchase) Office suite.

1. Microsoft 365 subscription (Publisher for Microsoft 365)

• After October 2026, Publisher will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 and subscribers will not be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.
• There is no option to keep using the Microsoft 365 version of Publisher beyond that date.
• Before October 2026, it is recommended to convert important .pub files to other formats such as PDF or Word. For large numbers of files, a PowerShell script or other automation can be used for bulk export; see the “Example conversion script” guidance in the Publisher retirement article.

2. Perpetual (one‑time purchase) versions of Publisher (e.g., Publisher 2021, 2019, 2016, etc.)

• Support for the perpetual version of Publisher ends on October 1, 2026, when Office LTSC 2021 reaches end of support.
• After that date, the perpetual Publisher app will no longer be supported, but it can still be installed and used. Existing Publisher files will remain accessible and editable in that perpetual app.
• Be aware that running unsupported software means no security updates, bug fixes, or technical support.

3. Alternatives going forward

• Many common Publisher scenarios (flyers, brochures, labels, business cards, calendars, etc.) can be handled in other Microsoft 365 apps such as Word and PowerPoint.
• A wide array of templates is available at Microsoft Create: https://create.microsoft.com/en-us?ocid=oo_create_visitors_templates_publisher.

In practice, to continue using Publisher after October 2026, the viable path is to have a perpetual (non‑subscription) version of Publisher installed and use that, understanding it will be out of support. In parallel, plan to migrate content and workflows to Word, PowerPoint, or other supported tools.

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References:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
• Publisher help
• End of support for Office 2021
• I have thousands of Publisher files; I'm not opening each one individually to convert them. What is this BS about retiring publisher and losing access to all those files? This is 20 years of work that my business is going to lose, we won't recover from th - Microsoft Q&A