Search for ".pub" still returning files already converted to .pdf or .docx

Use a file-type search instead of a text search: in File Explorer, search with *.pub, not .pub.

That matters because Windows Search can return files based on indexed properties and contents, not only the current file extension. A plain search for .pub can still match files whose metadata or contents include that text, even if the current file is now .pdf or .docx.

For finding only actual Publisher files:

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Select Documents or This PC.
3. In the search box, enter *.pub.
4. If needed, right-click a result and select Open file location to verify the actual file extension.

If search is still not behaving correctly, run the Search troubleshooter:

1. Right-click Start and select Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & security > Search.
3. Under Related settings, select Advanced indexing options.
4. In Indexing Options, select Advanced.
5. Under Index Settings, select Troubleshoot search and indexing.
6. Follow the wizard.

On whether converted files will become unopenable when Publisher is removed: no. The retirement notice says Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files using Microsoft Publisher after October 2026, and it recommends converting existing .pub files to PDF or Word before that date. That applies to Publisher files, not to the converted PDF or Word files.

If the goal is to find remaining Publisher files, a file search for .Pub on the PC, OneDrive, or SharePoint is recommended, but for the most precise File Explorer filtering, *.pub is the better search pattern.

References:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
• Find lost files after upgrading Windows
• You cannot find files when you search a Windows Vista-based computer even though the files exist on the computer