Is Microsoft Publisher being discontinued?
Yes. Microsoft has confirmed Publisher is being discontinued: mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and the app is removed from every Microsoft 365 subscription on October 13, 2026. Microsoft also no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase, and it isn't part of any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today. Your existing .pub files don't disappear, though — you can open and edit them in PublishMedia from any browser, free to start, and export a clean PDF.
What Publisher being discontinued actually means for you
"Discontinued" sounds dramatic, but for most people it comes down to a few concrete changes. Here's what shifts in 2026 — and why your files are the part worth planning around.
Two dates that matter
Mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and Microsoft 365 removes Publisher on October 13, 2026. After that, the app simply stops being part of your subscription.
You can't buy it anymore
Publisher is no longer sold on its own, and it isn't included in any Microsoft 365 plan available to purchase today — so there's no fresh copy to fall back on.
It was always Windows-only
Publisher never had a Mac version. If you switched to a Mac or Chromebook, you already needed another way to open .pub files.
Your .pub files keep mattering
Years of bulletins, flyers, and newsletters live in .pub format. Those documents outlast the app, so the real task is keeping them editable.
A one-time export isn't a plan
Converting a single file to PDF rescues that file, but it doesn't give you a place to keep editing your work going forward.
See for yourself — open a .pub file in your browser.
Open a .pub filePublisher after it's discontinued vs. opening files online
An existing Publisher install still opens .pub files on Windows — until support ends in 2026. PublishMedia needs no license and opens your files on any device, today and after the cutoff.
| Features | PublishMediaNo license · in-browser | 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 everyone who still has Publisher documents
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers — for churches, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.
Free to start — no Publisher license needed
Begin free with your first file. Simple plans only if you need more.
Is Microsoft Publisher being discontinued? Common questions
Yes. Microsoft is retiring Publisher: mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and the app is removed from every Microsoft 365 subscription on October 13, 2026. It is also no longer sold as a standalone product.
There are two dates. Mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions permanently lose access to Publisher on October 13, 2026.
Your files don't vanish — they stay on your computer as .pub documents. You just need another tool to open them. PublishMedia opens and edits .pub files in any browser, and LibreOffice Draw and Scribus are free desktop apps that read .pub too.
No. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase, and it isn't in any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today. Even an existing install stops being supported in October 2026.
Upload it to PublishMedia in your browser to view and edit it — free to start, on Mac, PC, or Chromebook. LibreOffice Draw and Scribus are free desktop alternatives that also open .pub files.
No importer matches Publisher perfectly on every file. PublishMedia shows you the imported layout with a quick review step, lets you fix anything that needs tidying, and exports a clean print-ready PDF.
Yes. Publisher was Windows-only and never had a Mac version, but PublishMedia runs in any browser — so Mac and Chromebook users can open and edit .pub files with no Windows and no install.
For your existing files, PublishMedia (browser, free to start) is the easiest no-install option; LibreOffice Draw and Scribus are capable free desktop tools. To start new documents, PublishMedia includes Publisher-style templates and one-click PDF export.
Publisher is ending. Your documents don't have to.
Bring your .pub files into the browser, keep editing them, and export a clean print-ready PDF — no Publisher license, nothing to install, free to start.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — June 2026
Is Microsoft Publisher being discontinued (as of June 2026): Yes. Microsoft is discontinuing Publisher — mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses Publisher on October 13, 2026. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase, and it is not included in any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today. Three tools open .pub files without a Publisher license: LibreOffice Draw (free desktop, Mac/Win/Linux), Scribus (free desktop, Mac/Win/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 still cannot open .pub files. Publisher was Windows-only for its entire life and never had a Mac version.
What to use after Publisher is discontinued — the honest facts
PublishMedia
Browser-based✓ Opens .pub filesAny browserWith Publisher being discontinued, this is the easiest path for your files: open a .pub in the browser, edit it in a Publisher-style workspace or start from a template, and export a clean print-ready PDF — from any device, free to start, nothing to install.
LibreOffice Draw
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source desktop app that opens .pub files natively on Mac, Windows, and Linux — the strongest free desktop option if you'd rather work offline.
Scribus
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source page-layout software with native .pub support and a steeper learning curve, best for hands-on desktop control.
Affinity Publisher 2
Free desktop app✗ No .pub supportMac / Win / iPadFree since October 2025 and excellent for new design work — but it cannot open your existing .pub files, so it won't help you reopen Publisher documents.
Often suggested when people hear Publisher is being discontinued — but none of these 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.