Publisher question

Question

I have seen a notice that Microsoft Publisher will be discontinued. I have used Publisher for several significant documents over the years. My question is whether Publisher is being removed or will it simply not be supported?

If it is being removed, do you have a suggestion for a comparable program to transfer my documents in order to retain them and update them in the future?

Thank you

Answer 1

If you have a desktop non-365 version of Publisher that has a perpetual license (e.g., Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021), it won't be deleted from you computer. You can continue to use it after Oct 2026, but it won't be getting any more updates.

If you have the 365 version of Publisher that is a subscription, then you'll no longer be able to use it to open or edit Publisher files after support ends in Oct 2026. You will need to use another application. I do not recommend using PowerPoint or Word since those applications lack the features found in Publisher. Here are some better options:

• Purchase Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 with a perpetual license. See https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/d/office-professional-2021/cfq7ttc0hhj9/0003?activetab=pivot:overviewtab However, you typically cannot have both Office 365 and Office 2021 installed on the same computer. You'll have to choose which one to use, or install them on separate computers.
• Download and install LibreOffice. See https://www.libreoffice.org/. LibreOffice installs on your computer, and it is a free complete office suite of applications (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math). Draw will open Publisher files and allow you to edit them.
• Download and install Affinity Page Layout. See https://www.affinity.studio/page-layout-software. Affinity Page Layout is also free (without AI) and installs on your computer. But it currently does not open Publisher files directly. You first need to convert the Publisher file to PDF. (There are several online file converters that will do the conversion for you for free.) Then use Affinity Page Layout to open the PDF as described here: https://www.affinity.studio/help/get-started-import-pdf/.

Which of these three options to use depends on your needs. If you want to continue using Publisher, then Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021 is your best choice. You avoid a learning curve, but you may need a 2nd computer.

If you are looking for a free option, and only create simple, single-page items (flyers, signs, basic forms), or have a massive archive of old Publisher files that all need to be frequently opened/edited, then choose LibreOffice Draw. However, it lacks precision alignment and advanced commercial print controls like bleed setup and robust CMYK color profiles required by professional printing presses.

On the other hand, if you routinely design complex, multi-page layouts (newsletters, booklets, catalogs) and need a highly professional tool that functions similarly to Adobe InDesign, then choose Affinity Page Layout.

There are a number of YouTube videos that describe the features and how to use LibreOffice Draw and Affinity Page Layout. Many features work very similar to Publisher.

Answer 2

Hi @Dawson Miller,
Thank you for reaching out. I understand your concern, especially since you have important Publisher documents that have been used and updated over many years.

Please do not worry. Although Microsoft Publisher is being discontinued, there are still ways to preserve your existing files and continue working with similar document formats in the future.

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Publisher will reach end of life in October 2026.

According to the official Microsoft article, Publisher will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 after that time, and Microsoft 365 users will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files using the application.

You can continue using Publisher normally until October 2026.

If you are using a perpetual/ on-premises version of Publisher (such as Publisher 2021), the application may still continue to run after support ends, but it will no longer receive support or updates from Microsoft.

Microsoft recommends converting important Publisher files before October 2026, especially to:

• PDF format for long-term viewing/archive purposes
• Word format if future editing is required

For replacement applications, Microsoft suggests using:

• Microsoft Word for newsletters, forms, labels, letterheads, and similar documents
• Microsoft PowerPoint for more layout-focused or graphic-style designs

Official article: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 | Microsoft Support

I hope this helps clarify the upcoming changes and provides some reassurance that your existing documents can still be retained and transitioned to other Microsoft applications moving forward.

Answer 3

Microsoft Publisher is being retired and will both lose support and, for many users, become unavailable to access.

Key points:

1. Status of Publisher

• Publisher reaches end of life in October 2026.
• 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 after that date.
• If using a perpetual (non‑subscription) version of Publisher, support ends on October 1, 2026, but the app can still be installed and used beyond that date; it just will not be supported.

2. What happens to existing Publisher documents

• For Microsoft 365 subscribers, Publisher will no longer be available for installation or download after October 2026, and Publisher files (.pub) will no longer open or be editable in Publisher.
• It is recommended to convert important .pub files to other formats before 10/1/2026 so they remain accessible.

3. How to preserve and continue updating documents

To retain and work with existing content in the future, convert .pub files to other formats:

• For viewing only:
  1. Open the Publisher file.
  2. Select File > Save As.
  3. Choose a location.
  4. Select PDF as the file type and select Save.
• For future editing:
  1. First convert the Publisher file to PDF as above.
  2. In Word, select File > Open, browse to the PDF, and open it.
  3. Confirm the prompt; Word will convert the PDF into an editable Word document.
     • Note: The converted Word document is optimized for text editing, so layout may differ, especially for graphics‑heavy designs.
• For many files:
  • If there are many .pub files, use PowerShell or other automation to bulk export them to PDF before the retirement date. An example conversion script and guidance are referenced in the Publisher retirement documentation.

4. Comparable Microsoft 365 apps to use going forward

Many common Publisher scenarios can be handled in 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 and labels: Word
• Letterhead: Word
• Newsletters and programs/folded projects: Word
• Cards (greeting, compliment, etc.): Word, PowerPoint, or Designer

Customizable templates for many of these scenarios are also available at Microsoft Create (linked from the retirement article).

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References:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
• Publisher help
• 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
• Publisher discontinued - Microsoft Q&A