I wasn't notified of Oct 1 deadline with publisher through my organization and I now want to export files to word. Is there a work around?

Question

I wasn't notified of Oct 1 deadline with publisher through my organization and I now want to export files to word. Is there a work around?

Beam, Kris 20

It won't allow me to export. I know it's past the Oct 1 deadline but I wasn't aware of this.

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Answer accepted by question author

Bulldog 5,520

Here's a search with Bing: convert .pub to .docx

Beam, Kris 20 Reputation points

2026-10-23T14:15:30.2366667+00:00

It doesn't help with deleting the badges you don't want and adding new ones but for one conference it is a temporary work around. Thanks!

2 additional answers

Your answer

Beam, Kris 20 Reputation points

2026-10-23T14:15:30.2366667+00:00

It doesn't help with deleting the badges you don't want and adding new ones but for one conference it is a temporary work around. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi Kris,

Unfortunately, there is no supported method to restore access to Microsoft Publisher through a Microsoft 365 subscription after its retirement.

You may consider using a standalone version of Publisher to continue accessing your existing .pub files. While Microsoft no longer offers Publisher as a separate retail product, it is included with Microsoft Office Professional 2021, which is available as a one-time purchase and includes other Office applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

A perpetual-license version of Publisher installed through Office Professional 2021 can continue to be used after October 1, although it is no longer supported and will not receive future feature updates or security updates. It's important to note that this version is separate from your Microsoft 365 business subscription and would need to be purchased independently.

Some third-party tools claim to convert .pub files directly to other formats. However, these tools are not supported by Microsoft, and the quality and accuracy of the conversion can vary significantly. Before using any third-party service, be sure to obtain approval from your organization, particularly if the files contain confidential, sensitive, or personal information.

For future publishing and document creation needs, Microsoft recommends transitioning to alternatives such as Word or PowerPoint, as Publisher is no longer being developed and will not be included in future Microsoft 365 offerings. See Publisher retirement guidance.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post.

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Answer 2

A .pub file can still be moved to Word after October 1, 2026, but it must first be opened using a working Publisher installation and exported to PDF, then opened in desktop Word.

Microsoft 365 Publisher access is being removed on or shortly after October 1, 2026; this was not an earlier October deadline. Once removal reaches your organization, Microsoft 365 subscribers can no longer open or edit .pub files in Publisher.^1^

Ask your organization’s IT administrator for conversion access

Because Publisher came through your organization and no longer permits export, ask IT whether it can provide access to a computer with a working, licensed perpetual version of Publisher. Microsoft states that perpetual Publisher can still be installed and used after the cutoff, although it is unsupported.^1^

On that computer:

Copy or download the .pub file from OneDrive, SharePoint, or its current storage location.
Open it in Publisher.
Select File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document > Create PDF/XPS.
Select PDF, choose a location, and select Publish.^2^
Open desktop Word.
Select File > Open > Browse, choose the PDF, and select OK when Word offers to convert it.
Select File > Save As and save the converted document as .docx.^3^

Keep the original .pub file and exported PDF as archival copies.

Conversion limitations

Word optimizes the result for text editing rather than preserving an exact Publisher layout. Publications containing text boxes, columns, graphics, page borders, or complex positioning may need manual correction; heavily graphical pages might be imported as non-editable images.^3^

For documents that will be reused regularly, rebuild one corrected document as a Word template after conversion rather than repeatedly converting the Publisher file.

If no Publisher installation is available

The remaining documented option is a third-party tool that converts .pub directly. Microsoft does not support these tools, and their quality varies.^1^ Obtain organizational approval before uploading business files, especially if they contain confidential or personal information.

If neither a licensed Publisher installation nor an approved third-party converter is available, there is no documented Microsoft Word feature that directly opens .pub files. Your organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator should then open a Microsoft support request and explain that Publisher access was removed before the files were converted.

References