Quick answer: if Publisher is still installed, Microsoft offers a sample PowerShell script that exports a whole folder to PDF. Without Publisher, LibreOffice can convert .pub files to PDF from the command line. Free Pub Editor works one file at a time, so use it for the files you still need to edit. Always keep the originals.
Why convert old .pub files now?
Microsoft is retiring Publisher. Its support page puts it plainly: "Convert your existing files to another format before 10/1/2026" (Microsoft Support). Microsoft 365 subscribers lose Publisher from around that date, and support for bought-outright versions ends on 13 October 2026. The full timeline is in Publisher retirement dates.
Schools, churches and clubs are often sitting on years of newsletters, orders of service and event posters. PDF is the sensible archive format: it opens on almost any device and keeps the page looking as it did.
Before you start: protect the originals
- Copy the folder first. Work on a copy, never on the only version.
- Keep the .pub files after converting. They're small, and they're the only easily editable version.
- Sort into "keep editable" and "archive only". This year's newsletter template and the annual fair poster need to stay editable. A 2014 bulletin only needs a PDF.
What are my options?
| Option | Needs | Handles a whole folder? | Good | Not so good |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft's PowerShell script | Windows with a working, licensed Publisher | Yes, including subfolders | Uses Publisher itself, so the closest match | Only while you still have Publisher; a sample to adapt, not a finished product |
| Publisher, one file at a time | Publisher installed | No | Simple; no scripts | Slow for hundreds of files |
| LibreOffice command line | LibreOffice (free) on Windows, Mac or Linux | Yes | Free; no Publisher needed | Needs a command window; check results carefully |
| Free Pub Editor | A web browser | No, one file at a time | No install; edit before exporting; file stays on your device | Not practical for a large archive on its own |
Option 1: Microsoft's script (Publisher still installed)
On the same retirement page, Microsoft offers "a PowerShell script or other automation for bulk export". It asks you to "ensure you have a working and licensed version of Publisher installed", and describes the script as "provided for instructional purposes", so test it on a small folder first.
Microsoft's examples include converting every .pub file in a folder, and adding -Recurse to include subfolders. The page also notes that if a PDF with the same name already exists, that file is skipped with an error, which is handy if you need to run it twice.
If you just have a handful of files, Microsoft's manual route is File → Export → Create PDF/XPS Document → Create PDF/XPS (Microsoft Support).
Option 2: LibreOffice from the command line (no Publisher)
LibreOffice can open .pub files and has a --convert-to option for converting files without opening the program window (LibreOffice Help). On a Mac, from inside the folder of .pub files:
/Applications/LibreOffice.app/Contents/MacOS/soffice --headless --convert-to pdf --outdir converted *.pub
On Windows, the program is soffice.exe in LibreOffice's program folder; the options are the same. Close any open LibreOffice windows before running it.
We tried this on two small sample .pub files and got a PDF of each. That's a tiny test, so open a handful of PDFs from every year and compare them with the originals before you rely on the batch. More on how LibreOffice handles Publisher files is in can LibreOffice open .pub files?
Option 3: one at a time in Free Pub Editor
For the files you still use, or a few dozen you want to check as you go, open each one in Free Pub Editor:
- Click Open and choose the .pub file. It's processed in your browser, not uploaded.
- Look over each page. Fix anything you like.
- Click Export PDF and choose Save as PDF, with margins set to None and Background graphics on.
- For files you'll keep editing, also use File → Save to keep an editable .fpe copy.
Files from Publisher 2002 to Publisher 2021 and Microsoft 365 open with their layout. Publisher 2000 files open as text only, and Publisher 97 or earlier files don't open yet.
How should I name and organise the PDFs?
Old .pub files often have names like newsletter final FINAL v2.pub. Archiving is a good moment to fix that:
| Tip | Example |
|---|---|
| Start with the date, year first, so files sort in order | 2019-03 Newsletter Term 1.pdf |
| One folder per year | Archive/2019/ |
| Keep the .pub next to its PDF, with the same name | 2019-03 Newsletter Term 1.pub |
| Avoid slashes, colons and very long names | Easter Service 2021.pdf, not Easter 4/4/21: final |
A short text file in the archive folder saying what's in it, and who made it, will help whoever looks after it next.
How do I check the batch worked?
- Count the files. The number of PDFs should match the number of .pub files. Any missing ones probably failed to convert.
- Spot-check each year. Open two or three PDFs per year and compare them with the originals.
- Look at fonts. If a font isn't on the computer, another is used. Free Pub Editor swaps common ones for look-alikes with the same spacing, such as Carlito for Calibri and Arimo for Arial. See why a .pub file can look wrong.
- Re-do the important ones by hand. For anything that matters, such as a school's history or a church's anniversary booklet, check it carefully one by one.
Is a PDF good enough for long-term records?
For most clubs and churches, a well-named PDF alongside the original .pub file is plenty. If your organisation has formal record-keeping rules that ask for a particular archive format, such as PDF/A, check with whoever manages your records before you start, so you only convert once.
Common questions
Can Free Pub Editor convert a whole folder at once?
Should I delete the .pub files after converting?
What about very old Publisher files?
Will the PDFs look exactly like the originals?
Open the files you still need to edit
Free, in your browser, and your files stay on your device.
Open the editor