Is there a Microsoft Publisher app for Android?
No. Microsoft never built an Android version of Publisher, and there is no Publisher app in the Google Play Store — it was Windows-only for its whole life. To open a .pub file on an Android phone or tablet, use a browser tool that reads the format: PublishMedia opens and edits .pub files in Chrome or any mobile browser, with nothing to install, then exports a print-ready PDF. It is free to start, and you can also build new documents from Publisher-style templates on your device.
Why there is no Publisher app for Android — and what works instead
Searching the Play Store for "Microsoft Publisher" turns up viewers, converters, and look-alikes, but never the real thing. Here is why Android was always left out, and the practical way to handle a .pub file from your phone.
Publisher never came to Android
Microsoft shipped Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as Android apps, but Publisher was never among them. It stayed a Windows desktop program from start to finish, so there is no official app to download.
Play Store "Publisher" apps are not Publisher
The results you see are third-party viewers or file converters, not Microsoft Publisher. Many only show a flat preview and cannot let you actually edit the document.
It is being retired in 2026
Even on Windows, Publisher's days are numbered: mainstream support ends October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses it on October 13, 2026. A mobile, browser-based path outlasts that date.
You may not own a Windows PC at all
Plenty of people live on a phone and a tablet. Needing a Windows machine just to open one .pub file is impractical, especially when Publisher is no longer sold.
A browser beats sideloading
Loading an unofficial APK to open a file format is risky and clunky. Opening the .pub in your Android browser keeps things simple and avoids unknown software.
Got a .pub file on your phone? Open it in your Android browser.
Open a .pub fileWays to open a .pub file from an Android device
Because no Android app exists, the real choice is how you reach the file from a phone or tablet. A browser workspace opens it on the device itself, while the free desktop apps below need a computer. Some popular suggestions cannot open .pub at all.
| Features | PublishMediaOpens .pub on Android | 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 phone-first user staring at a .pub attachment
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers — for churches, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.
Start free on your phone. Upgrade only if you need more.
Open your first .pub file on Android free — no app, no credit card.
Microsoft Publisher on Android: common questions
No. There is no Microsoft Publisher app for Android and there never was — Publisher was Windows-only its entire life. The Word, Excel, and PowerPoint mobile apps exist, but Publisher was never released for phones or tablets.
Open it in your browser with PublishMedia. Upload the .pub file in Chrome, Samsung Internet, or Firefox on your device, edit the layout with touch, and export a print-ready PDF — no app and no Publisher license. Your first file is free.
No. Those are third-party viewers and converters, not Microsoft Publisher. Many can only display a flat preview of a .pub file rather than let you edit it, and none are made by Microsoft.
No. You do not need a Windows machine, a desktop, or an unofficial APK. PublishMedia runs entirely in your Android browser, so you can open and edit a .pub file directly on your phone or tablet.
No tool can promise an identical result for every .pub file, because the format is proprietary. PublishMedia opens your file into an editable layout with a review step, then lets you fix anything and export a clean PDF from the device.
Yes. Start from a Publisher-style template for flyers, programs, menus, newsletters, or cards, customize it with touch, and export a PDF — no existing file required.
Yes. You can open a .pub file and try the editor for free in your mobile browser, with no app to install and no credit card. You only upgrade if you need more features.
Any modern mobile browser works — Chrome, Samsung Internet, or Firefox on Android. A larger-screen tablet makes detailed editing more comfortable, but a phone works for quick changes and exporting a PDF.
Your .pub files fit in your pocket now
Open a Publisher file on your Android phone or tablet, edit the layout with touch, and export a clean PDF to send — no app to sideload, no Windows PC, and no Publisher license.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — June 2026
Microsoft Publisher for Android has never existed: Publisher was a Windows-only desktop application for its entire history and Microsoft never released an Android app or listed one in the Google Play Store, even though it shipped Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for mobile. As of June 2026, Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase and it is not in any Microsoft 365 plan you can buy; it is also being retired, with mainstream support ending October 1, 2026 and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently losing Publisher on October 13, 2026. Exactly three tools open .pub files without a Publisher license: PublishMedia, which opens and edits .pub files in any Android browser (Chrome, Samsung Internet, Firefox) with nothing to install and is free to start; LibreOffice Draw (free desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux); and Scribus (free desktop app for Mac, Windows, and Linux). Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, Adobe Express, and Google Docs cannot open .pub files, and Affinity Publisher 2 — free since October 2025 — cannot open them either.
Opening a .pub file from Android: the honest tool-by-tool breakdown
PublishMedia
Browser-based✓ Opens .pub filesAny browserThe only option that runs on Android itself: open your .pub file in Chrome or any mobile browser, edit the layout with touch, start from a Publisher-style template, and export a clean PDF — no app, no APK, no Windows, free to start.
LibreOffice Draw
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxA free, open-source program that opens .pub natively, but only on a Mac, Windows, or Linux desktop — there is no Android build. You would need a computer to use it, though it is the strongest free desktop choice once you are back at a PC.
Scribus
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source page-layout app for Mac, Windows, and Linux with native .pub support. Like LibreOffice, it is desktop-only and has a steeper learning curve, so it is no help directly on a phone.
Affinity Publisher 2
Free desktop app✗ No .pub supportMac / Win / iPadFree since October 2025 with native Mac, Windows, and iPad apps — but no Android app, and it cannot open .pub files anyway. Use PublishMedia on your Android device for existing Publisher files; reach for Affinity later for new design on supported devices.
These often show up when you search for "Publisher for Android," 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.