Another classic Microsoft app will stop receiving support in the near future. After over three decades, Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life in October 2026.
We’ve known about the end of support for Publisher for quite a while. Eagle-eyed commenters in our forums saw the news back in June 2024.
But Publisher’s death has made the news rounds because Microsoft updated a support document with guidance on how to prepare for the end of Publisher support.
According to the Wayback Machine, Microsoft updated the support document sometime between February 15 and March 8.
Unlike Skype, which will stop working in May of this year, Publisher users have until October 2026 to transition to another app.
A support document from Microsoft states:
“In October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life. After that time, it will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 and existing on-premises suites will no longer be supported. Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher. Until then, support for Publisher will continue and users can expect the same experience as today.”
Microsoft explains that the reason Publisher is going away is that much of its functionality is available through other Microsoft applications.
Word or PowerPoint are the primary apps that will fill any void left by Publisher. Microsoft recommends those apps for creating ads, flyers, brochures, and other types of media.
The most common use cases for Publisher are covered by either Word or PowerPoint, though Designer is also recommended for a couple items.
Microsoft’s support document lists specific examples.
Can I still install Microsoft Publisher?
You will still be able to download Microsoft Publisher for a while. Those with a Microsoft 365 subscription will be able to download the app until October 2026.
After that date, it will not be possible to download Microsoft Publisher, at least for those with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
If you have a perpetual version of Publisher, it will continue to work after October 2026, though the app will no longer be supported.
Can I convert Microsoft Publisher files?
Yes, you can convert Microsoft Publisher files to other formats, though you may see some changes in the layouts of documents.
You’ll need to convert any existing Publisher files to other formats before October 1, 2026 since you will not be able to open Publisher files after that date.
Microsoft recommends using a macro if you need to convert a large number of Publisher files.
The tech giant shares the following steps for converting Publisher files to the PDF format:
- Open Publisher file.
- Go to File > Save as.
- Choose a location to save the file.
- Select PDF as the file type and Save.
You can then convert a PDF file into a Word document with the following steps shared by Microsoft:
- Open Word.
- Go to File > Open.
- Locate and open the PDF file.
- Select OK in the dialog box.
Converted documents may not be a one-to-one replication of your original Publisher file. If your document has a lot of graphics, you may see significant changes.
Will you miss Microsoft Publisher?
I’m curious if any of you will miss Microsoft Publisher. I’ve never met anyone who uses the program, but maybe it’s the favorite app of some of you. I suspect it’s more commonly used by professionals. Please jump into the comments and share your experience with Publisher.
