Will I be able to use Microsoft Publisher after October 2026?

Question

I am a volunteer for a non-profit organization, and I have over a thousand Publisher files that I use on a regular basis. Some once a week, some once a year. I currently have a subscription to Microsoft 365.

1. Wil I be able to continue to use Publisher after October 2026 or will it simply disappear from my subscription?
2. Can I purchase a version of Publisher (CD/DVD preferably) that I can install on my computer and use even though it is not supported by Microsoft?
3. What would you recommend using in Publishers place and can you easily convert Publisher files to that format?

Answer 1

1. For a Microsoft 365 subscription, Publisher will be removed from the subscription in October 2026. After that date, Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher, and Publisher will no longer be available for installation or download as part of Microsoft 365.
2. A perpetual (non‑subscription) version of Publisher can still be used after support ends, as long as it is already owned and can be installed on the device. Support for the perpetual version ends on October 1, 2026 (when Office LTSC 2021 reaches end of support), but the app itself will continue to run beyond that date. The documentation does not specify purchase channels or media types (such as CD/DVD), only that existing perpetual versions can still be installed and used even though they are out of support.
3. Many common Publisher scenarios are already covered by other Microsoft 365 apps:
   • Ads or flyers: Word, PowerPoint, or Designer
   • Brochures: Word or PowerPoint
   • Banners, signs, posters: PowerPoint or Designer
   • Certificates: Word or PowerPoint
   • Business cards: Word or PowerPoint
   • 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, PowerPoint, or Designer

Existing Publisher files cannot be directly converted into native Word or PowerPoint formats in bulk, but it is recommended to convert them to PDF or Word format before October 2026. For large numbers of files, a PowerShell script or other automation can be used to bulk export Publisher files to PDF. The example script provided in the documentation shows how to:

• Convert a single .pub file to PDF
• Convert all .pub files in a folder (optionally including subfolders) to PDF

This bulk conversion requires a working, licensed Publisher installation on the machine running the script and should be tested and adjusted for specific needs.

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References:

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