Publisher access

Question

I cannot work on a newsletter i created with Publisher and also access old documents created in Publisher.

Answer 1

Hi, you can still turn the old newsletters into PDFs. If any computer has Publisher 2016, 2019 or 2021, open the file and use File > Save As > PDF. LibreOffice (free) can open .pub files too. I also use pubfileconverter.com, which does it in the browser without Publisher; the first 3 files are free.

Answer 2

As of October 2026, Microsoft 365 can no longer be relied on to license Publisher; first determine whether you own a perpetual Publisher/Office license, because only that edition can continue opening and editing .pub files after the retirement rollout.^1^

Identify your Publisher license

In Publisher, select File > Account and examine Product Information:

• Microsoft 365: Publisher removal began rolling out on or shortly after October 1, 2026. Once it reaches your PC, a Microsoft 365 subscription will no longer activate Publisher or permit editing.
• Publisher 2021/2019/2016 or another perpetual Office edition containing Publisher: Continue with the activation steps below. A perpetual version can still be installed and used, although it is now unsupported.
• If Publisher does not identify the edition clearly, sign in to Microsoft account > Services & subscriptions using the account originally used to purchase Office. Check which Office or Publisher product is listed.^2^

If you own a perpetual Publisher license

1. Open Publisher and select File > Account.
2. Sign in with the Microsoft account associated with that purchase. If shown, select Switch Licence and choose the perpetual Office/Publisher license.
3. If the license came as a new, unused product key, redeem it first at Office.com/setup, then install Office from the associated account.^3^
4. If activation still fails, open Microsoft’s activation support page and choose the troubleshooting path specifically for Office 2021, 2019, or 2016—not the Microsoft 365 activation troubleshooter.^2^
5. Check for conflicting installations:
   • Open Start, search for Control Panel, then select Programs > Programs and Features.
   • Search the list for Office.
   • If multiple editions are installed, uninstall only the edition you do not use, restart Windows, and activate the remaining edition.

Removing an Office edition can affect its other apps, so verify which edition owns your perpetual Publisher license before uninstalling anything.

If this is Microsoft 365 Publisher

If Publisher is still installed and its removal update has not yet reached this PC, try the remaining activation window:

1. Open Word or Publisher and sign out of Office from the account menu.
2. Select Start > Power > Restart.
3. Reopen Publisher and sign in with the account that owns the active subscription.
4. Go to File > Account > Switch Licence, if available, and select that subscription.^4^
5. Check Services & subscriptions. If the subscription is expired, renew it, restart Publisher, and retry.
6. On Windows 10 or later, open Microsoft’s activation support page on this PC, select the Microsoft 365 activation troubleshooter button, choose Open when prompted to launch Get Help, and complete its prompts.^2^

These steps apply only while Publisher remains available to that Microsoft 365 installation. If the retirement removal has reached the PC, renewal, switching licenses, or activation troubleshooting will not restore Publisher.

Preserve the newsletter and older files

If you have only the Microsoft 365 edition, the supported practical options are:

• Use a perpetual Publisher version that you already own to open and edit the files.
• On a licensed installation that can still open them, save each publication as PDF:
  1. File > Save As
  2. Choose a folder.
  3. Select PDF as the file type.
  4. Select Save.
• For future editing, open the PDF in Word through File > Open. Word optimizes the conversion for text editing, so a graphics-heavy newsletter’s layout may differ substantially from the original.
• A PDF preserves viewing and printing better than editability; it is not an equivalent editable Publisher format.^1^

If an eligible perpetual license appears in Services & subscriptions but activation still fails after the version-specific troubleshooting, contact Microsoft Support from that account and provide the Publisher version shown under File > Account.

---

References

1. Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 | Microsoft Support
2. Unlicensed Product and activation errors in Office | Microsoft Support
3. Activate Office for Windows | Microsoft Support
4. Office subscription still shows Unlicensed after downloading. - Microsoft Q&A