Quick answer: Microsoft retired Publisher in October 2026. Microsoft 365 subscribers lose the app on or shortly after 1 October, as an update removes it. One-off copies like Office 2021 keep working but get no more fixes. Your .pub files are fine: open them free in Free Pub Editor.
Why did Publisher stop working?
It's almost certainly not something you did. Microsoft announced that "In October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life." After that, Microsoft says Publisher is no longer included in Microsoft 365, and the older one-off versions are no longer supported (Microsoft Support).
What you actually see depends on how you got Publisher. Most people fall into one of two groups.
What changed for Microsoft 365 subscribers?
If you pay for Microsoft 365 (Personal, Family, Business, or a school or work plan), Microsoft says subscribers "will not be able to access Publisher on or shortly after October 1, 2026", with the removal arriving "as the removal update process rolls out".
In practice that means one of these is likely:
- The Publisher icon has gone from your Start menu or taskbar.
- Double-clicking a .pub file no longer opens anything, or Windows asks which app to use.
- Publisher is still there on one computer but gone from another. Because the removal "rolls out", it doesn't reach every PC on the same day.
Microsoft's FAQ adds that, for subscribers, Publisher "will no longer be available for installation or download after October 2026". So reinstalling Office won't bring it back.
Microsoft doesn't describe exactly what Publisher looks like on a subscriber's computer in the days before the removal update arrives. If yours is still there but behaving oddly, see Publisher opening in read-only mode.
What changed for one-off (perpetual) licences?
If you bought Office or Publisher outright, for example Office 2021 Professional or Publisher 2021, Microsoft says "you will still be able to install and use the app beyond this date." Support for these versions ended on 13 October 2026, when Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021 reached end of support. The full timeline is in our retirement dates post.
So if you have a one-off copy and it has stopped working, retirement alone isn't the reason. Common causes are an activation problem (see Publisher licence won't activate) or a damaged install. Bear in mind it now gets no updates or security fixes.
Which situation am I in?
| Your Publisher came from | What Microsoft says happens | What you'll probably notice |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 subscription (home, business, school) | Removed on or shortly after 1 October 2026; can't be downloaded again | Publisher missing; .pub files won't open |
| Office 2021 / Publisher 2021 (one-off) | Can still be installed and used; support ended 13 October 2026 | Still works, but no more updates |
| Office 2019, 2016 or older (one-off) | Support had already ended earlier | Still works if installed and activated, with no fixes |
| Office 2024 or Office LTSC 2024 | Publisher was never included | No Publisher to begin with |
Not sure which you have? If you can still open Word, go to File → Account. Microsoft says this screen shows which version of Office you're running (Microsoft Support).
What happens to my .pub files?
Your files don't change, expire or get deleted. Microsoft's retirement page is about the app. For subscribers it says you will "no longer be able to open or edit your Publisher files using Microsoft Publisher", which is a different thing from losing them. The files stay on your computer, USB stick, OneDrive or SharePoint, wherever you saved them.
Microsoft's advice was to convert files to PDF or Word before 1 October 2026 using Publisher itself. If that's no longer possible for you, don't worry: you can still open them with other tools.
What should I do now?
- Don't delete anything. Even if nothing on your computer opens the .pub files, keep them.
- Find your files. Microsoft suggests a file search for ".Pub" on your PC, OneDrive or SharePoint. On Windows, type
*.pubinto File Explorer's search box. - Make a backup copy of the originals in a clearly named folder, such as "Publisher originals".
- Open the ones you need in Free Pub Editor. It runs in Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox on Windows, Mac, ChromeOS or Linux. There's no sign-up or licence, and your file is processed in your browser rather than uploaded.
- Export a PDF for a permanent copy anyone can open, and save an editable copy (.fpe) of anything you'll update again, like a newsletter or certificate template.
Free Pub Editor opens files from Publisher 2002 through to Publisher 2021 and Microsoft 365 with their layout, text, pictures, shapes and tables. Publisher 2000 files open as text only, and files from Publisher 97 and earlier can't be opened yet. It works on one file at a time, so if you have hundreds, see converting many .pub files.
What does Microsoft suggest instead of Publisher?
For new work, Microsoft points people to Word and PowerPoint, plus templates on Microsoft Create. Those are fine for new flyers and newsletters, but none of them opens a .pub file. That's why you need something else for your existing files. Our guide to what replaced Microsoft Publisher compares the options.