Publisher has disappeared. Your files have not.
If Publisher is gone from your computer, or your .pub files have stopped opening, you have not done anything wrong. Microsoft is removing the app through regular Office updates.
What happened
| When | What |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Publisher stopped being included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions |
| From mid-November 2026 | Removal starts reaching computers on Current Channel |
| From early December 2026 | Removal starts on Monthly Enterprise Channel |
These dates come from Microsoft's message center notice MC1469564, last updated on October 21, 2026. Timing depends on the update channel, so one computer can lose Publisher while another keeps it for a while.
Your files are still there
The update removes the app, not your documents. Your .pub files stay wherever you saved them. They only need something else to read them.
Open a file now
- Go to PubOut.
- Drop your .pub file on the page.
- Read every page, copy the text, or save it as a PDF.
Your browser reads the file on your own computer. The tool does not upload its contents or its name.
If you have a lot of files
Search your computer, shared drives, OneDrive and SharePoint for *.pub. Open the ones you still use and save a PDF of anything you want to keep. Microsoft's bulk conversion script needs a working copy of Publisher, so it will not help on a computer where the app has gone. Keep the original files as well.
Questions
Can I get Publisher back?
Microsoft 365 no longer includes it. A one-time-purchase copy such as Publisher 2021 keeps working, without security updates.
Can Word or PowerPoint open a .pub file?
Microsoft's advice is to convert files while you still have Publisher. Its help page does not say that Word or PowerPoint can open one.
Will opening a file change it?
No. PubOut only reads the file. Your original is never modified.