What you need to know
Microsoft says Publisher reaches end of life in October 2026: Microsoft 365 subscribers lose access on or shortly after October 1, 2026 and can no longer open or edit Publisher files in Publisher, and perpetual-version support ends October 13, 2026. Microsoft recommends converting .pub files to PDF or Word.
Potentially affected
Organizations and users with Publisher files, such as flyers, newsletters, signage, forms and certificates, whether they used Publisher for Microsoft 365 or a perpetual Office version.
DSE recommendation
DSE recommends finding every .pub file in user folders, OneDrive and SharePoint and converting the ones still needed to PDF or Word, using a remaining perpetual Publisher install if Microsoft 365 access is gone.
Microsoft says Publisher reaches end of life in October 2026: Microsoft 365 subscribers lose access on or shortly after October 1, 2026 and can no longer open or edit Publisher files in Publisher, and perpetual-version support ends October 13, 2026. Microsoft recommends converting .pub files to PDF or Word.
Source facts
Microsoft’s Publisher end-of-life notice, which applies to Publisher for Microsoft 365 and Publisher 2007 through 2021, says Publisher reaches end of life in October 2026, after which it is no longer included in Microsoft 365 and existing on-premises suites are no longer supported. Microsoft 365 subscribers lose access to Publisher on or shortly after October 1, 2026 as the removal update rolls out, and support for the perpetual version ends on October 13, 2026, when Office LTSC 2021 and Consumer Office 2021 reach end of support.
Microsoft recommended converting existing files to another format before 10/1/2026, saying Microsoft 365 subscribers would no longer be able to open or edit them in Publisher, while perpetual-version users can still install and use the app and access their files. It describes saving to PDF from Publisher, opening the PDF in Word for editing, and a sample PowerShell script for bulk export that requires a working, licensed Publisher installation.
Microsoft says many common Publisher scenarios, such as branded templates, envelopes and labels, calendars, business cards and programs, are available in Word and PowerPoint, and notes that a Word document converted from PDF may lay out differently from the original, especially with many graphics. A file search for .pub on PCs, OneDrive or SharePoint can locate Publisher files.
Applicability
Use this for any organization with Publisher files. Microsoft does not support third-party conversion tools, so test any you use on copies first.
DSE recommendation
DSE recommends finding every .pub file in user folders, OneDrive and SharePoint and converting the ones still needed to PDF or Word, using a remaining perpetual Publisher install if Microsoft 365 access is gone. Keep the original .pub files alongside the converted copies, rebuild frequently used templates such as signage and forms in Word or PowerPoint, and remove Publisher from deployment images.
Verification
Re-run the .pub search after conversion, spot-check converted documents for layout and missing images, and confirm users know which app replaces each template.
Official reference
Microsoft Support — Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026. Reviewed October 18, 2026.
Review the official source
Microsoft Support — Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 · Verified October 18, 2026
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