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3 min read

Microsoft Publisher retirement: what does your business need to know

itfoundations Originally posted on August 25, 2026
Last updated on August 25, 2026

Microsoft 365

Microsoft are retiring publisher after 35 years of service. What do you need to do to to prepare?


For many businesses, Microsoft Publisher has long been the go-to tool for creating brochures, newsletters, flyers, labels, and other marketing materials. That will change in October 2026, when Microsoft officially retires the application.

If your organisation still uses Publisher, now is a great time to understand where it's being used and how those documents will be managed in the future.


Designer (15)

Publisher Support Ends in October 2026

To be clear, retiring it doesn't mean that it'll stop working. It just means that Microsoft have said that it will no longer be supported after October 2026. Publisher will continue working as normal after October 2026, but after that date, it won't be deemed secure or supported, and will therefore start causing problems for Cyber Insurance, Cyber Essentials compliance, and using it will not be inline with good cyber security practice.

Organisations that still depend on it should use the time available to review existing files and plan a replacement strategy.

 

Why Is Publisher Being Retired?

We know that Publisher is old so that's one reason, but so is Word? So why Publisher? We;;, Microsoft has identified that many of Publisher's most popular features are already available in Word and PowerPoint. They also have a vast library of pre-designed templates available to both on their Create platform which replaces just about everything that Publisher was used to do in the past.

We should also say that Publisher is desktop only. Every other Microsoft app (at least the mainstays) can all be accessed via browser on the cloud these days. Publisher's legacy desktop only status just left it lagging behind.

As a result, Microsoft is focusing development efforts on their other applications that form part of most businesses' day-to-day workflows, rather than maintaining a separate desktop publishing product.

What Does This Mean For Existing Publisher Files?

The main challenge for existing Publisher users is ensuring they can still safely access important .PUB files after support ends on 1 October 2026.

To avoid safe losing access to critical content, you should review and convert any Publisher files you need.

In our experience, Publisher is often only used by a small number of people within marketing, HR, communications or admin teams. Identifying those users early can make the migration much simpler. In reality most have probably been using Microsoft's newer products, or Canva, or web design tools for quite some time. That doesn't mean your business won't have old .PUB files that you want to keep. Open them and save them to PDF for posterity and future safe access.

 

What To Use Instead

For most organisations, the functionality they're using in Publisher today can already be achieved in Word or PowerPoint.

Use Word for:

  • Newsletters

  • Letterheads
  • Brochures
  • Labels
  • Mail Merge Documents

Use PowerPoint for:

  • Flyers

  • Posters
  • Event materials
  • Marketing collateral

Use either Word or PowerPoint for:

  • Business cards

  • Certificates
  • Promotional Materials
  • Branded Documents

Microsoft Create also offers hundreds of professionally designed templates that can help you recreate many common Publisher documents with minimal effort.

 

How to Prepare Before October 2026

To help you prepare, here are a few practical steps to take:

  1. Identify Publisher Dependencies

    Search your file shares, OneDrive, and SharePoint environments for ".pub" files to understand how extensively Publisher is used across your organisation. A simple ".pub" search is often the quickest way to understand how much Publisher content exists across the business.

  2. Prioritize Critical Content

    Determine which files are actively used, legally required, or regularly updated, and prioritise these for migration.

  3. Convert Files

    Export important Publisher files to PDF for preservation. If ongoing editing is required, consider converting content into Word or recreating materials in Word or PowerPoint.

    1. Open the .pub file in Microsoft Publisher.
    2. Select File → Export.
    3. Click Create PDF/XPS Document.
    4. Click Create PDF/XPS.
    5. Choose where to save the file.
    6. Ensure Save as type is set to PDF.
    7. Click Publish

  4. Automate Bulk Conversions

    For organisations with extensive Publisher archives, Microsoft provides a sample PowerShell script that can be used as a reference for bulk exporting Publisher files to PDF.

  5. Train Users on Alternative Tools

    Provide guidance and training on using Word and PowerPoint for publishing tasks. This can help reduce disruption and increase adoption of modern workflows.

Next Steps..?

Although Publisher's retirement might be disappointing for long-time users, most businesses already have access to suitable alternatives through Microsoft 365. Starting early gives you time to identify key files, migrate critical content and support users through change.

If you're not sure where to start, our team is always happy to help you assess your Publisher usage and plan the next steps. The sooner you understand where Publisher is being used, the more time you'll have to migrate content at your own pace rather than rushing as the deadline approaches. 

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