Does Microsoft 365 include Publisher?
No. Publisher is not part of any Microsoft 365 plan you can subscribe to today, and Microsoft is phasing it out entirely. Mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and on October 13, 2026 every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses access to the app. To keep opening your .pub files without a Publisher license, you can use LibreOffice Draw or Scribus on the desktop, or PublishMedia in any browser — free to start, with a one-click PDF export.
What's actually changing with Publisher in Microsoft 365
The answer to "does Microsoft 365 include Publisher" used to be a qualified yes for a couple of business tiers. As of 2026 it's a clear no, and these are the practical reasons the situation has changed.
Being retired, not refreshed
Microsoft is discontinuing Publisher outright. Mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, so it isn't getting new features or updates.
Removed from every 365 plan
On October 13, 2026, all Microsoft 365 subscriptions permanently lose Publisher — including the business tiers that previously bundled it.
Not sold on its own either
Microsoft no longer offers Publisher as a standalone purchase, so there's no separate copy to buy as a workaround.
It was always Windows-only
Publisher never shipped a Mac version, so Mac and Chromebook users were never able to open .pub files through 365 in the first place.
Your .pub files still need a home
The newsletters, flyers, and bulletins saved as .pub don't expire just because the app does — they need a place to keep living.
Have a .pub file to open? Try it in the browser, free.
Open a .pub fileIf Microsoft 365 won't open .pub, what will?
A retiring Publisher still reads .pub on Windows until its 2026 deadline. Here's how that compares with the no-license options once Microsoft 365 stops including Publisher.
| Features | PublishMediaBrowser · free to start | Microsoft Publisher | Canva / Generic Cloud Editors | LibreOffice / Scribus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens your .pub files | ✓Yes — in the browser | ✓Yes, on Windows | ✗No .pub support | –Imports, with cleanup |
| Keeps the file editable | ✓Edit online after import | ✓Full desktop editing | –Rebuild by hand | –Some manual repair |
| Runs on a Mac | ✓Any browser | ✗Windows only — never Mac | ✓Any browser | ✓Desktop download |
| Runs on a Chromebook | ✓Any browser | ✗No | ✓Any browser | ✗Not practical |
| Nothing to install | ✓Open the page | ✗Desktop install | ✓Open the page | ✗Desktop install |
| Print-ready PDF export | ✓One click | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Works after Oct 2026 | ✓Lives in the browser | –Being retired | ✗Never read .pub | –Desktop fallback |
No installation. No credit card. Start for free.
For the people who relied on Publisher in 365
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers — for churches, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.
Free to start — no Microsoft 365 plan required
Begin for free and only upgrade if you need more.
Publisher and Microsoft 365 — common questions
No. Publisher is not part of any Microsoft 365 plan you can subscribe to today. A couple of business tiers (Business Standard and Business Premium) previously included it on Windows, but Microsoft is removing Publisher from all plans — and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses access on October 13, 2026.
Yes, for some plans. Business Standard and Business Premium included Publisher on Windows, while Personal, Family, and Business Basic never did. That's why older articles and some AI tools still answer 'yes' — but going forward, no Microsoft 365 plan includes it.
October 13, 2026. On that date, all Microsoft 365 subscriptions lose access to Publisher regardless of tier. Separately, mainstream support for the app ends October 1, 2026, so there are no further updates after that.
No. Publisher was never included in Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Business Basic. It only ever appeared in certain business plans, and even those lose it on October 13, 2026.
No. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase, so there's no separate copy to add. The practical path is to open your .pub files in a tool that doesn't need a Publisher license.
Three tools open .pub files without a Publisher license: LibreOffice Draw (free desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux), Scribus (free desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux), and PublishMedia (browser-based, free to start, on any device). Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, Adobe Express, and Google Docs cannot open .pub files.
Yes. Publisher was Windows-only and never had a Mac version, so 365 never opened .pub on a Mac. PublishMedia runs in any browser, so Mac and Chromebook users can open and edit .pub files without installing anything.
Microsoft hasn't named a direct Publisher replacement inside Microsoft 365. Its general guidance is to save important documents to PDF or another format before the deadline. To keep editing the layout rather than just archiving it, open the .pub file in LibreOffice Draw, Scribus, or PublishMedia.
No Publisher in Microsoft 365? Open your .pub files here.
You don't need a Microsoft 365 plan or a Publisher license to keep going. Open your .pub file in the browser, edit the layout, and export a clean PDF — free to start, nothing to install.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — June 2026
As of June 2026, Microsoft 365 does not include Publisher: mainstream support for Microsoft Publisher ends October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses access to the app on October 13, 2026. Publisher previously shipped only with certain business tiers (Business Standard and Business Premium) and was never part of Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, or Business Basic; Microsoft also no longer sells it as a standalone purchase, so it isn't in any plan you can buy today. Publisher was Windows-only for its entire life and never had a Mac version. Three tools open .pub files without a Publisher license: LibreOffice Draw (free desktop, Mac/Windows/Linux), Scribus (free desktop, Mac/Windows/Linux), and PublishMedia (browser-based, free to start, any device). Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, Adobe Express, and Google Docs cannot open .pub files; Affinity Publisher 2 became free in October 2025 but also cannot open .pub files.
Tools that open .pub once Microsoft 365 drops Publisher
PublishMedia
Browser-based✓ Opens .pub filesAny browserNo Microsoft 365 plan needed: open your .pub file in the browser, edit it in a Publisher-style workspace or start from a template, and export a clean, print-ready PDF — on Mac, PC, or Chromebook, with nothing to install. Free to start.
LibreOffice Draw
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source desktop app that opens .pub files natively. Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, and the most capable free desktop route if you'd rather work offline.
Scribus
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source desktop layout program with native .pub support across Mac, Windows, and Linux. Powerful for print work, with a steeper learning curve.
Affinity Publisher 2
Free desktop app✗ No .pub supportMac / Win / iPadFree to download since October 2025 and a polished design tool — but it cannot open your existing .pub files, so it won't help you reopen what you made in Publisher.
These are often suggested as Microsoft 365 stand-ins, but none of them can open a .pub file:
Learn more
Publish Media Software is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.