Microsoft Publisher retirement: what happens to your files
Microsoft has retired Publisher. Here is what that means in practice. Checked October 2026.
The dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Publisher stops being included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions |
| October 13, 2026 | Support ends for perpetual versions, with Office 2021 |
| From mid-November 2026 | Removal starts reaching devices on Current Channel through regular Office updates |
| From early December 2026 | Removal starts on Monthly Enterprise Channel |
The November and December dates come from Microsoft's message center notice MC1469564, last updated on October 21, 2026, and timing depends on your update channel. Until a device gets the update, Publisher may keep opening, but Microsoft says that is not an extension of support.
What happens to my .pub files?
They are not deleted. They stay wherever they are, but once the app is gone Microsoft 365 cannot open them. A perpetual copy such as Publisher 2021 keeps working, without security updates.
What should I do?
- Find your files. Search your computer, shared drives, OneDrive and SharePoint for *.pub.
- Convert what you use. PDF for keeping and printing, PowerPoint for anything you still edit.
- Keep the originals. Storage is cheap, and a future tool may read them better.
You can open and save individual files for free with PubOut, without uploading them.
Questions
Will Microsoft replace Publisher?
Microsoft points people to Word, PowerPoint and Designer. None of them opens .pub files.
I have Office 2021. Do I need to do anything?
Your copy keeps working but no longer gets security fixes, so it is still a good time to convert what matters.