If you use Publisher through Microsoft 365, it was removed from your subscription on October 1, 2026, and your .pub files will no longer open in it. The files are not deleted. You have four ways to get at them: keep a perpetual copy of Publisher, open them in LibreOffice, use an online converter, or have someone convert and rebuild them for you.
What changed on October 1, 2026
- Microsoft 365 subscribers lost Publisher on October 1. It can no longer be installed or opened through the subscription.
- Perpetual versions (Publisher 2021, 2019, 2016 bought outright) keep working. Support ends October 13, 2026, which means no more security updates, but the app still runs.
- Your .pub files stay on your computer, OneDrive or SharePoint. Nothing is deleted. You just lose the app that opens them.
To find them, search your PC, OneDrive or SharePoint for `.pub`.
Option 1: A perpetual copy of Publisher
If anyone in your organization still has Publisher 2021 or older installed from a one-time purchase, that computer can still open and export your files. Use it now to save everything as PDF (File > Save As > PDF). This is the most faithful conversion there is.
Option 2: LibreOffice (free)
LibreOffice Draw can open .pub files without Publisher. It is free and runs on Windows and Mac.
- Good for: simple flyers, text-heavy newsletters, getting your content back.
- Watch out for: layouts shift, especially with many images, text boxes and special fonts. Check every page before relying on it.
Option 3: Online converters
Several websites convert .pub to PDF one file at a time. They work for a handful of files. Before uploading, consider that you are sending your documents to a third party, which matters for member lists, donor names or student information.
Why Microsoft's own advice falls short
Microsoft suggests saving each file as PDF, then opening the PDF in Word to edit it. Two problems:
1. Saving as PDF needs Publisher itself. Microsoft's bulk conversion script also requires "a working and licensed version of Publisher installed." After October 1, Microsoft 365 users don't have one.
2. PDF to Word scrambles layouts. Microsoft itself warns that "layout may vary, particularly if the document includes many graphics." That describes almost every Publisher file.
The files that matter most: templates you reuse
Church bulletins, school newsletters, event programs and business flyers are usually one template edited every week or month. Converting old copies to PDF keeps a record, but it does not give you a template you can keep editing. For those, the durable fix is to rebuild the template once in Word or Canva, then keep working from there.
Quick decision guide
| Your situation | Best path |
|---|---|
| A few files, only need to read them | LibreOffice or an online converter |
| Someone still has a perpetual Publisher | Export everything to PDF on that computer now |
| Hundreds of files (a whole archive) | Bulk conversion done for you |
| A template you use every week | Rebuild it once in Word or Canva |