My old publisher files will not open, my publisher will not even open my old files.

Yes—installing an owned perpetual edition that specifically includes Publisher, such as Publisher 2021 or Office Professional 2021, should let you open and edit the existing .pub files; an ordinary Office copy that does not include Publisher will not.

Microsoft removed Publisher from Microsoft 365 on or shortly after October 1, 2026, but that did not delete or damage existing Publisher files. Perpetual Publisher can still be installed and used, although its support ended on October 13, 2026.^1^

Before installing

1. Back up all .pub files to another drive or OneDrive.
2. Check the name of the Office product you own:
   • Office Professional 2021 or Publisher 2021: includes Publisher and is suitable.
   • Office Home & Business or Home & Student: does not include Publisher.[^2^](https://support.microsoft.com/microsoft-365-activation-licensing/office-error-the-products-we-found-in-your-account-can-t-be-used-to-activate "Office error "The products we found in your account can't be used to activate" | Microsoft Support")
   • Office 2024 or Office LTSC 2024: does not include Publisher.^3^
3. Locate the product key or Microsoft account associated with that one-time purchase.
4. Avoid installing an older edition alongside Microsoft 365 without preparation. Multiple Office versions can cause applications or files to open in the wrong version.^4^

After Publisher is installed

1. Start Publisher from the Windows Start menu.
2. Select File → Open, browse to a copied .pub file, and test it.
3. If it opens, immediately preserve it in additional formats:
   • Keep the original .pub file for editing in Publisher.
   • Select File → Save As → PDF for a durable viewable copy.
   • If future editing is required without Publisher, open the PDF in Word using File → Open. Complex graphics and page layouts may change during conversion.^1^

There is no separate Publisher viewer for .pub files, so access requires Publisher or conversion to another format.^5^

If Publisher opens but particular files do not

Test one affected file on another computer that has a working, licensed copy of Publisher. A closely matching case found that files failing on one computer opened on another, distinguishing a local Publisher installation problem from damaged files.^6^

If every file opens on the second computer, use that installation to save PDF copies before repairing or replacing the first installation. If the files fail on both computers, preserve untouched backup copies and seek file-recovery assistance rather than repeatedly overwriting them.

Because Publisher 2021 is now out of support, it no longer receives security updates or technical support. Use it primarily to recover and convert the old publications, and avoid opening untrusted .pub files.^7^

References

1. Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 | Microsoft Support
2. Office error "The products we found in your account can't be used to activate" | Microsoft Support
3. Overview of Office LTSC 2024
4. Double-clicking an Office file fails to open it in the correct Office program | Microsoft Support
5. Where is the Publisher viewer? | Microsoft Support
6. Publisher file won't open - Microsoft Q&A
7. Ending Support in 2026