Microsoft Publisher has reached the end of its life. According to Microsoft, Microsoft 365 subscribers can no longer open or edit Publisher (.pub) files with Publisher after October 2026, and Publisher can no longer be installed or downloaded. If your business keeps flyers, brochures, price lists, labels or letterheads in Publisher, convert them to PDF, Word or PowerPoint now, while you still can.
What is actually changing
Microsoft has said Publisher will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 from 1 October 2026. Two groups are affected differently:
- Microsoft 365 subscribers: Publisher disappears. Existing .pub files will not open in Publisher any more.
- Perpetual licence users (Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021): Publisher keeps working, but support for those versions ends on 13 October 2026. That means no more security updates.
If you are not sure which type of licence your business has, that is worth finding out this week. It is the same date that Microsoft ends support for several other products.
Why a small file format matters
Publisher is the sort of tool that quietly sits on one computer in the corner. Someone in the office built the company brochure, the price list or the staff name badges years ago, and nobody has touched it since. The risk is not the software, it is the files.
Common things we see Perth businesses keep in .pub format:
- Printed flyers and brochures
- Price lists and menus
- Business cards and letterheads
- Mailing labels and envelopes
- Event posters and signage
If the person who made them has left, and the only copy is a .pub on an old PC, you may not be able to edit that material again after the deadline.
How to convert your files
Microsoft's recommended approach is to convert files before the deadline.
- Open the file in Publisher. Do this while Publisher still works.
- Save as PDF. Go to File > Save As and choose PDF. This keeps the layout exactly as it is and is the safest copy for printing.
- Make an editable version if you need one. Microsoft's route is to take the PDF into Word. Be aware the layout may shift from the original.
- Use the bulk option for many files. Microsoft provides a PowerShell script for converting lots of files at once. If you have dozens of files, ask your IT provider to run it rather than doing it by hand.
Do both: keep the PDF as the print-ready master, and rebuild the editable version in a current tool.
What to use instead
Microsoft's own guidance maps Publisher jobs to tools you already pay for in Microsoft 365:
| What you make | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Envelopes and labels | Word |
| Business cards and calendars | Word or PowerPoint |
| Brochures and flyers | Word or PowerPoint |
| Banners and posters | PowerPoint |
Microsoft Create also has ready-made templates if you would rather start fresh than rebuild an old design.
Don't just keep running the old version
If you are on a perpetual licence, it is tempting to leave Publisher where it is, since it will still open files. That is a reasonable short-term stop-gap, but it comes with trade-offs:
- Once support ends on 13 October, security flaws found in those Office 2021 products will not be fixed.
- The old PC that runs it tends to be the one that never gets updated, which makes it an easy target.
- Anyone who replaces that computer later will find there is no way to install Publisher on a new Microsoft 365 setup.
Treat the old install as a bridge, not a solution. Use it to convert the files, then retire it.
Check with your printer and designer
Many Perth businesses send artwork to a local print shop or a freelance designer. Ask them which format they want. Most print shops prefer a print-ready PDF, and a PDF exported from Publisher today is the safest master copy. If a designer originally built the material, ask whether they hold the source files in a more current format. It can save you rebuilding from scratch.
A short checklist for this week
- Search shared drives, desktops and old backups for .pub files.
- Convert anything you still use to PDF first, then to Word or PowerPoint.
- Confirm whether your Office licences are subscription or perpetual.
- Make sure converted files are stored in SharePoint or OneDrive, not on one PC. Our guide to Microsoft 365 for Perth businesses explains how to set that up.
- Take the opportunity to check that your backups cover these files. See how backup and disaster recovery should work.
Need a hand?
If you are not sure where your old Publisher files live, or you have a pile of them to convert, our team can find and convert them for you as part of a normal tidy-up. As a managed IT services provider in Perth since 1997, we deal with this kind of quiet end-of-life change all the time. Call us on (08) 9325 1196 or get in touch.