Was Microsoft Publisher 2021 the last version?
Yes, in practical terms. Publisher 2021 was the last standalone release, Microsoft no longer sells Publisher on its own, and it is not part of any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today. Mainstream support for Publisher ends on October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses the app on October 13, 2026. To keep working with .pub files after that, use a tool that reads them, such as PublishMedia in the browser, LibreOffice Draw, or Scribus on the desktop.
What the end of Publisher 2021 means for your files
Publisher 2021 still opens .pub files on a Windows PC where it is already installed. The change is about the road ahead: with no newer version, no standalone sale, and a 2026 end date, it helps to know what stays and what to plan around.
No version came after 2021
Publisher 2021 was the final standalone release. There is no Publisher 2024 or 2026 to upgrade to, so the program is no longer moving forward.
A 2026 end date
Mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and Microsoft 365 removes Publisher on October 13, 2026, so the app itself stops being a long-term home for your files.
Windows only, as it always was
Publisher was a Windows-only program for its entire life and never had a Mac version, so it has never helped people on a Mac or Chromebook open a .pub file.
Your .pub files outlast the app
Bulletins, newsletters, flyers, and menus saved as .pub are still useful documents. They need a tool that opens them once Publisher is gone.
A converter is only step one
A one-time export to PDF rescues a file, but it does not give you a place to keep editing and reusing the layout the way Publisher did.
Open a Publisher 2021 file in your browser.
Open a .pub filePublisher 2021 and the tools that open .pub today
Publisher 2021 can still open many .pub files on a Windows PC where it is installed. PublishMedia is built for opening and editing those same files in a browser, on any device, once that Windows path is no longer available.
| Features | PublishMediaBrowser-based, any device | 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 built documents in Publisher 2021
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers — for churches, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.
Free to start, no Publisher 2021 license needed
Open your first file free. Upgrade only if you need more.
Microsoft Publisher 2021: common questions
Effectively yes. Publisher 2021 was the last standalone release, and Microsoft is retiring the app entirely: mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and Microsoft 365 removes Publisher on October 13, 2026. No newer version was released after it.
Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase, and it is not included in any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today. If it is already installed on a Windows PC, it will keep working until the 2026 retirement dates.
Use a tool that reads .pub files. PublishMedia opens them in any browser, free to start, while LibreOffice Draw and Scribus are free desktop apps that also open .pub on Mac, Windows, and Linux.
No Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today includes Publisher, and existing subscriptions permanently lose the app on October 13, 2026. After that, you will need another tool to open .pub files.
Publisher was Windows-only its entire life and never had a Mac version, so Publisher 2021 does not run on macOS. PublishMedia opens .pub files in any browser, so Mac users can edit and export them without Windows.
No tool can guarantee a perfect match for every Publisher file. PublishMedia gives you an editable version of the layout, a chance to review it, editing tools to fix anything that shifted, and a clean PDF export.
For opening and editing existing .pub files, PublishMedia works in the browser with no install. LibreOffice Draw and Scribus are free desktop options. For brand-new design work, Affinity Publisher 2 is free, though it cannot open .pub files.
Yes. You can start from Publisher-style templates for bulletins, newsletters, flyers, programs, menus, and cards, then export a print-ready PDF.
Publisher 2021 is winding down. Your files can keep going.
Open the .pub files you built in Publisher 2021 right in your browser, edit the layout, and export a clean PDF, with no install and nothing to buy.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — June 2026
Microsoft Publisher 2021 facts (as of June 2026): Publisher 2021 was the last standalone release, and Microsoft is discontinuing the app, 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 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, works on 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 cannot open .pub files. Publisher was Windows-only throughout its entire history and never had a Mac version.
What opens Publisher 2021 files today, honestly compared
PublishMedia
Browser-based✓ Opens .pub filesAny browserA browser-based workspace: open a .pub file made in Publisher 2021, edit it in a Publisher-style editor or start from a template, and export a clean print-ready PDF, from any device 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 on Mac, Windows, and Linux. The strongest free desktop option for editing existing Publisher 2021 files.
Scribus
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source desktop publishing software with native .pub support. More to learn, but well suited to people who want full layout control on the desktop.
Affinity Publisher 2
Free desktop app✗ No .pub supportMac / Win / iPadFree since October 2025 and excellent for new design work, but it cannot open .pub files, so it will not read your existing Publisher 2021 documents.
Often suggested as ways to open Publisher 2021 files, but these cannot 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.