Microsoft Publisher

Convert the Publisher archive in bulk to PDF before October 1, 2026, then migrate only the files that must remain editable to Word, PowerPoint, or a compatible third-party publishing application.

Publisher remains usable until October 1, 2026. After its removal, Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit .pub files in Publisher; perpetual Publisher versions can continue operating, but support ends in October 2026.^1^

Bulk-convert the archive to PDF

PDF is the best preservation format when documents mainly need to be viewed, searched, printed, or retained as records. It preserves the visual layout but is not a fully editable Publisher replacement.

1. Make a backup copy of all .pub files.
2. Confirm that a working, licensed copy of Publisher is installed.
3. Download Microsoft’s sample Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 script from the retirement guidance.
4. Test it on a small copied folder and inspect the resulting PDFs.
5. Open PowerShell in the folder containing the script and run:

# One file
.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles\Example.pub"

# Every .pub file in a folder and its subfolders
.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 `
  -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles\*.pub" `
  -Recurse

The script continues after conversion errors and reports failed files. It will not overwrite a PDF with the same name, so rename or move existing output files before rerunning it.^1^

For a small number of publications, open each file and select File → Export → Create PDF/XPS Document → Create PDF/XPS. Choose Standard, High Quality Printing, or Commercial Press according to the intended output.^2^

Keep the original .pub files alongside the PDFs; conversion does not delete them.

Files that must remain editable

There is no one-step Publisher-to-Word conversion that preserves all text, graphics, and page layout.

Choose the migration method according to the content:

• Mostly text: In Publisher, select File → Save As, then choose Word Document. Text and basic font formatting are preserved, but graphics, columns, and other design elements are not.^3^
• Text from an archived PDF: In Word, select File → Open, choose the PDF, and accept the conversion prompt. The result is optimized for editing text, so layouts containing many graphics can change significantly.^1^
• Layout-sensitive individual pages: Copy page objects from Publisher and paste them into Word. Alternatively, export a page as PNG, JPEG, or Enhanced Metafile and insert it into Word; this preserves appearance but makes the page image non-editable.^3^
• Complex publications requiring full layout editing: Test a third-party desktop-publishing application on copies of representative files. Microsoft notes that conversion quality and capabilities vary and that Microsoft does not support those tools.^1^

For newly created material, Microsoft recommends Word or PowerPoint for flyers and brochures, PowerPoint for posters and signs, and Word for labels, envelopes, newsletters, letterhead, and forms.^1^

A practical migration plan is therefore:

1. Inventory .pub files on PCs, OneDrive, and SharePoint.
2. Bulk-export everything to PDF for preservation.
3. Validate a sample from each publication type.
4. Identify documents still used operationally.
5. Rebuild only those active documents in the most suitable replacement application.

References

1. Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 | Microsoft Support
2. Save As or convert a publication to .pdf or .xps using Publisher | Microsoft Support
3. Save a publication as a Word document