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Microsoft will officially retire Microsoft Publisher on October 1st 2026. After this time, the application will no longer be available for download or included in Office 365, and existing .pub files will no longer open in Publisher.
What Happens Next?
· Until October 1st 2026: You can continue to use Microsoft Publisher as normal.
· After 1st October 2026: Publisher will be removed from Office 365.
You will lose the ability to create, view, or edit .pub files using the app.
How to Prepare (Action Required)
To prevent loss of access to your work, please complete the following steps before the deadline:
1. Audit Your Files
Search your local storage, OneDrive, and shared drives for files with the .pub extension. Decide which files are still needed and which can be safely archived or deleted.
2. Save Documents You Only Need to View as PDFs BEFORE Oct 1st:
For publications you only need for historical record or viewing, you can easily convert them to PDF format
Open the file in Publisher, Go to File Save As, Select PDF as the file type. You can then view files with free Adobe Reader.
3. Convert Files That Require Future Editing
If you need to edit a Publisher file after October 2026, convert it to a PDF first, then you can try to open that PDF in Microsoft Word to edit and save it as an editable .docx file. (Note: Complex graphic layouts may require minor manual adjustments after conversion).
We encourage you to begin creating new publications in supported platforms of Office 365.
Microsoft Word & PowerPoint are included in Office 365 and are best for standard flyers, simple brochures, certificates, and labels.
More details available at
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026