Is there a Microsoft Publisher 2024?
There is no standalone Microsoft Publisher 2024 you can buy. Publisher 2021 was the last regular perpetual release, and Microsoft is retiring Publisher rather than shipping new consumer versions. Office LTSC 2024 — a volume-licensed product for organizations — does technically include Publisher, but it is not a consumer purchase and that edition is also being phased out. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher standalone and it is in no Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today. To work with .pub files now, use PublishMedia in the browser, or the free desktop apps LibreOffice Draw and Scribus.
What "Publisher 2024" really refers to
The "2024" label causes confusion because there was a 2024 Office release — just not a consumer Publisher. Untangling the versions makes it clear why there is nothing new to install and what actually opens your files.
Publisher 2021 was the last regular release
For everyday buyers, Publisher 2021 was the final standalone version. No Publisher 2024 followed it in the consumer line, so there is no newer boxed copy to upgrade to.
Office LTSC 2024 is a corporate edition
Microsoft did release Office LTSC 2024, a volume-licensed product for organizations that includes Publisher. It is not something individuals buy, and Microsoft has signaled it is being retired alongside the rest of Publisher.
Publisher is being discontinued
Mainstream support for Publisher ends October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses the app on October 13, 2026. New versions are not part of the plan.
It was always Windows-only
Publisher ran only on Windows for its entire life and never had a Mac, iPad, Android, Linux, Chromebook, or web edition — so a 2024 build would not have helped people off Windows anyway.
Your .pub files are the part that lasts
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers saved as .pub remain useful long after the app stops shipping. They need a tool that opens them, not a version number that no longer exists.
Open your .pub files in the browser, no 2024 install needed.
Open a .pub fileWhat to use in place of a "Publisher 2024," compared
Because there is no consumer Publisher 2024 to install, the practical choice is which tool opens and edits your .pub files today. Here is how a browser workspace compares with the free desktop apps, and which familiar tools cannot read .pub at all.
| 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 anyone who went looking for Publisher 2024 and came up empty
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers — for churches, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.
No Publisher 2024 to buy — start free instead
Open your first .pub free. Upgrade only if you need more.
Microsoft Publisher 2024: common questions
Not as a standalone product you can buy. Publisher 2021 was the last regular perpetual release. A corporate Office LTSC 2024 build includes Publisher, but it is volume-licensed for organizations, not sold to individuals, and it is being retired along with Publisher overall.
No consumer version of Publisher 2024 exists to download, and Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase. It is also not in any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy today, so there is no current way to acquire a new copy of Publisher.
Office LTSC 2024 does technically include Publisher, but it is a volume-licensed product aimed at organizations rather than a consumer purchase, and Microsoft has indicated this edition is being phased out. For most people it is not a practical way to get Publisher in 2026.
To open and edit existing .pub files, PublishMedia works in any browser with nothing to install, and the free desktop apps LibreOffice Draw and Scribus also open .pub. If you only need to design something new, Affinity Publisher 2 is free as of October 2025 — just remember it will not open your old .pub files.
Yes. Mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses Publisher on October 13, 2026. That is why there is no new 2024 consumer version — the program is being wound down rather than updated.
Yes. Publisher was Windows-only and never had a Mac, Chromebook, or web edition, so no version would run there. PublishMedia opens .pub files in any browser, so Mac and Chromebook users can edit and export them without Windows.
No tool can guarantee a pixel-perfect match for every Publisher file. PublishMedia opens your file into an editable layout with a review step and editing tools to fix anything that shifted, then exports a clean print-ready PDF.
Yes. Since there is no Publisher 2024 to buy, you can open a .pub file and try the editor at no cost — nothing to install and no card required. A paid plan only enters the picture if you later want features beyond opening and exporting.
There is no Publisher 2024 — but your files still have a home
Stop hunting for a version that was never sold. Open your Publisher documents in the browser, edit the layout, and export a clean PDF, with no install, no Windows, and nothing to buy.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — June 2026
There is no standalone consumer Microsoft Publisher 2024. Publisher 2021 was the last regular perpetual release; Microsoft did ship Office LTSC 2024, a volume-licensed edition for organizations that technically includes Publisher, but it is not a consumer purchase and is itself being phased out. As of June 2026, Microsoft no longer sells Publisher standalone and it is in no Microsoft 365 plan available to buy. Publisher is being discontinued: mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses Publisher on October 13, 2026. Publisher was Windows-only for its entire history, with no Mac, iPad, Android, Linux, Chromebook, or web edition. Exactly three tools open .pub without a Publisher license: PublishMedia (browser-based, free to start), LibreOffice Draw (free desktop, Mac/Win/Linux), and Scribus (free desktop, Mac/Win/Linux). Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, Adobe Express, and Google Docs cannot open .pub; Affinity Publisher 2 (free since October 2025) cannot either.
What to use in 2026 instead of Publisher 2024, honestly compared
PublishMedia
Browser-based✓ Opens .pub filesAny browserA browser-based workspace that opens and edits .pub files on any device, with Publisher-style templates and a clean print-ready PDF export. Nothing to install and no version to buy — free to start, which makes it the simplest answer when there is no Publisher 2024.
LibreOffice Draw
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxA free, open-source desktop app with native .pub support on Mac, Windows, and Linux — the strongest free desktop option for editing existing Publisher documents now that there is no 2024 version to install.
Scribus
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxA free, open-source desktop publishing program that reads .pub natively. It carries more of a learning curve, but it suits anyone wanting detailed offline layout control without hunting for a Publisher edition that was never sold.
Affinity Publisher 2
Free desktop app✗ No .pub supportMac / Win / iPadFree since October 2025 and a polished tool for new design work, but it cannot open .pub files, so it will not read your existing Publisher documents. Use PublishMedia or LibreOffice Draw for those, then design new pieces in Affinity if you like.
Often suggested as a stand-in for Publisher, 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.