Publisher's retirement deadline is closer than you think—do these things before it's too late

Published Aug 6, 2026, 10:30 AM EDT Tony Phillips is an experienced Microsoft Office user with a dual-honors degree in Linguistics and Hispanic Studies. Prior to starting with How-to Geek in January 2024, he worked as a document producer, data manager, and content creator for over ten years, and loves making spreadsheets and documents in his spare time. Tony is also an academic proofreader, experienced in reading, editing, and formatting over 3 million words of personal statements, resumes, reference letters, research proposals, and dissertations. Before joining How-To Geek, Tony formatted and wrote documents for legal firms, including contracts, Wills, and Powers of Attorney. Tony is obsessed with Microsoft Office! He will find any reason to create a spreadsheet, exploring ways to add complex formulas and discover new ways to make data tick. He also takes pride in producing Word documents that look the part. He has worked as a data manager in a secondary school in the UK and has years of experience in the classroom with Microsoft PowerPoint. He loves to encounter problems in Microsoft Office and use his expertise and legal-level training to find solutions. Outside of the Microsoft world, Tony is a keen dog owner and lover, football fan, astrophotographer, gardener, and golfer. Microsoft Publisher, the classic app behind countless newsletters, flyers, brochures, and church bulletins, is about to reach the end of the road. If you still have years of .pub files sitting on your computer, now is the time to check what you need to save before Microsoft retires the app. The good news is that your files won't suddenly disappear. The bad news is that whether you'll be able to open and edit them depends on which version of Publisher you use, and the deadlines are fast approaching. Here's what you need to know—and what you should do before it's too late. What Publisher's retirement means for you Different deadlines for different people Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | tete_escape/Shutterstock Microsoft has officially drawn the line: "In October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life." But what that means for you depends on how you currently use Publisher: Your situation What it means You use Publisher through Microsoft 365 You can continue using Publisher until October 1, 2026. After that, the app will no longer be available through your subscription, so you won't be able to open or edit .pub files using Publisher. You use a perpetual version of Publisher (such as Publisher 2021 or the version included with Office LTSC 2021) Publisher will continue working after October 1, but support ends on October 13, 2026. Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, bug fixes, or technical support after that date. You have Office 2024 Office 2024 doesn't include Publisher, so you won't have access to the app unless you already have another version installed. You only have old .pub files Your files won't disappear, but they may become much harder to open or edit if you no longer have access to Publisher. Export or convert important documents while you still can. Find your old Publisher files before you need them Your .pub files are the biggest thing at risk The biggest challenge this retirement creates is losing easy access to years of Publisher documents. Unlike Word's .docx format or Excel's .xlsx, Publisher's proprietary .pub format has never been widely adopted by other applications. While a handful of third-party tools can import some Publisher files, there is no guarantee that every layout, font, or design element will survive the conversion. That's why it's worth locating your Publisher files now rather than waiting until you suddenly need one. Search your computer and any backups for *.pub, making sure you don't forget to check OneDrive or other cloud storage, external hard drives, network folders, and old PC backups. Pay particular attention to documents you regularly reuse, such as newsletters, church bulletins, event programs, brochures, business templates, and community publications. Export important files while you still can PDFs are the safest long-term archive If you only need to preserve the appearance of a .pub document, export it as a PDF while Publisher is still available. A PDF keeps the page layout, fonts, graphics, and formatting intact, making it ideal for documents you may want to reference or print in the future. If you later realize you need to edit the file, you can try opening the PDF in Word or use free open-source software. It won't be pixel-perfect, but it beats starting from scratch. If you have dozens or even hundreds of Publisher files, Microsoft has published a sample PowerShell script that can automate bulk conversion to PDF, saving you from opening every file individually. For active projects, you'll want to move them to a replacement app instead of relying on Publisher indefinitely. Choose a replacement before the deadline arrives The best alternative depends on how you used Publisher There isn't a single replacement for Publisher, but there are plenty of excellent alternatives. The right one depends on whether you mainly create flyers, newsletters, professional print layouts, or simply need a way to open older .pub files. Here are some options: Tool Best for Why choose it? Microsoft PowerPoint Flyers, posters, signs, and invitations Its free-form canvas feels closest to Publisher, making it an easy transition for simple layouts. Microsoft Word Newsletters, brochures, and text-heavy documents Microsoft's recommended replacement for many Publisher workflows, with mature layout tools and templates. Microsoft Designer AI-assisted graphics and quick promotional materials Ideal for creating social media graphics, invitations, and marketing materials with minimal effort. Affinity Publisher Desktop publishing The closest modern equivalent to Publisher, with powerful page layout features for regular publishing work. Adobe InDesign Professional publishing The industry standard for magazines, books, and commercial print projects. Best suited to advanced users. LibreOffice Draw (part of the LibreOffice suite) Recovering existing .pub files One of the few free tools that can attempt to open existing Publisher documents, although complex layouts may not convert perfectly. Scribus Free desktop publishing A capable open-source alternative with professional print features and a steeper learning curve. Your preparation checklist Action now could save frustration later Credit: Tony Phillips/How-To Geek The retirement date might still seem a long way off, but tracking down files, choosing alternatives, and converting documents takes time. A few small jobs now can prevent a last-minute scramble later. Before October arrives: Inventory your .pub files Save PDFs of important documents Choose a replacement Test your replacement workflow Keep backups Publisher's retirement is part of a bigger change Publisher's retirement is part of a wider shift in how Microsoft approaches desktop software. Over the years, even apps like Access have become harder to justify in a world focused on cloud collaboration, subscriptions, and AI-powered tools. That doesn't mean these apps weren't useful—many people still rely on them—but Microsoft is increasingly steering users toward newer tools that fit its current vision. For some, that transition will mean moving to alternatives. For others, it may be a reminder that important files shouldn't be locked into a single format forever.