How can I continue to use Microsoft Publisher after 10/1/26?

Question

Can I use Publisher after 10/1/26? I use it for my church's weekly bulletins.

Answer 1

If you have Office 2021 Professional, which includes Publisher, you can keep using Publisher even after October 2026. It appears that Microsoft still sells that version; go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/office-professional-2021/cfq7ttc0hhj9/0003?utm_source=openai&activetab=pivot:overviewtab .

Answer 2

WHY is Publisher being retired? What is your good reason behind this BS?

Answer 3

We use Publisher mostly for newsletters and we have literally hundreds, if not thousands of Publisher files. Suggesting that I go and convert all of them is ludicrous. And Word is NOT the same for formatting newsletters. The whole advantage of Publisher is that you can tell it where you want something and it will stay there. Also, it very nicely will direct someone to the next page or wherever the column is for the rest of the article. Word is NOT the same. Pictures and text boxes move all over the place for one thing.

I have Microsoft 365 and as near as I can tell, buying a separate license for Publisher 2021 or whatever will not work, because they are not compatible with Microsoft 365. We are screwed royally and it is infuriating how deaf they are to the problems they are causing. I really don't know what we are going to do, but I'm VERY UNHAPPY.

Answer 4

Welcome Juliana O'Connor!

Thank you for posting your questions to the Q&A forum.

Can I use Publisher after 10/1/26?

If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, Microsoft Publisher will no longer be available for installation or download after October 2026. However, if you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, although support will end, you will still be able to install and use the app beyond this date.

There are some alternatives you can consider to your Microsoft Publisher:

To avoid losing access to your past bulletins, it’s also recommended to convert your existing Publisher files to another format (such as PDF or Word) before the October 2026 deadline so they can still be viewed or edited afterward.

WHY is Publisher being retired? What is your good reason behind this BS?

Publisher is being retired to focus development on newer Microsoft 365 capabilities, with some apps being phased out so more resources can go toward improving widely used tools.

In addition, according to Microsoft: "Many common Publisher scenarios—including creating professionally branded templates, printing envelopes and labels, and producing customized calendars, business cards, and programs—are already available in other Microsoft 365 apps such as Word and PowerPoint...."

Hope this helps clarify your concern. Please feel free to post back if you have any further questions!

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Answer 5

Publisher can be used with full functionality only until October 2026.

Key dates and impact:

• Until October 2026: Publisher continues to work as it does today.
• October 1, 2026: Support for the perpetual version of Publisher ends when Office LTSC 2021 reaches end of support.
• After October 2026: Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer have access to the Publisher application and will not be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.

That means Publisher cannot be relied on for ongoing weekly bulletin creation after that date. To prepare:

1. Convert existing Publisher bulletins so they remain usable
   • Open each .pub file in Publisher.
   • Select File > Save As.
   • Choose a location.
   • Select PDF as the file type and Save.
   • For many files, use the documented PowerShell bulk conversion approach to convert .pub files to PDF automatically.
2. Plan where to create future bulletins Recommended Microsoft 365 apps for typical Publisher scenarios include:
   • Ads or flyers, brochures, banners, signs, posters, cards: Word, PowerPoint, or Designer
   • Newsletters, programs, folded paper projects, church bulletins: Word (or PowerPoint, depending on layout needs)
3. If editing past content is required after retirement
   • Convert the .pub file to PDF as above.
   • In Word: File > Open, select the PDF, then OK to convert it to an editable Word document. Layout may change, especially where many images are used.
   • Alternatively, consider a third‑party conversion tool to move .pub files to another editable format. Quality and support vary and are not provided by Microsoft.

There is no supported way to continue using Publisher itself or opening .pub files in Publisher with Microsoft 365 after October 2026, so moving bulletins to Word, PowerPoint, or another tool before that date is required.

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References:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
• Publisher help
• Create a newsletter using Publisher
• Save As or convert a publication to .pdf or .xps using Publisher
• 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