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Tools & Implementation • Information Resilience

Microsoft Publisher retires on 1 October 2026: Find and convert .pub files before they become stranded

Microsoft 365 subscribers are expected to lose access to Publisher from 1 October 2026. Existing publications will not convert themselves, so organisations should find important files, decide what must remain editable and validate every conversion while Publisher is still available.

Who should review this? Organisations that use or previously used Publisher for newsletters, leaflets, labels, forms, event materials, certificates, care information, fundraising or other operational publications.

Trends4You Editorial

Upcoming retirement

What changes on 1 October 2026

Microsoft states that Publisher will reach end of life in October 2026. It will no longer be included in Microsoft 365, and Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to access Publisher to open or edit .pub files. Support for the perpetual Publisher 2021 version also ends on 1 October when Office LTSC 2021 reaches end of support.

A perpetual installation may continue to run after support ends, but that is not a dependable long-term records or editing strategy. The application will be unsupported, while Microsoft 365 installations will lose Publisher availability.

The files do not disappear—but practical access can

A .pub file can remain on disk, in OneDrive or in SharePoint after the deadline. The risk is discovering later that no supported application is available to open, edit, reprint or adapt it.

Operational impact

Small organisations may have more dependencies than expected

Recurring publications

Newsletters, service leaflets, event programmes and fundraising materials may depend on an old Publisher template that is edited only occasionally.

Print workflows

Labels, envelopes, certificates, cards and folded documents can rely on exact page sizes, margins, fonts and printer settings.

Unclear ownership

Files may sit in personal OneDrive folders, Teams-linked libraries, local computers or shared drives after their original creator has left.

Sensitive content

Publications can contain personal, service-user, donor, volunteer or operational information that should not be sent to an unapproved conversion website.

Treat this as information continuity

The objective is not merely to remove an old application. It is to preserve required content, editing capability, print fidelity, ownership and an auditable route to future use.

Discovery

Find the publications before deciding how to convert them

1

Search managed computers

Look for *.pub across relevant user folders and approved local storage, including devices used for communications, fundraising and administration.

2

Search shared storage

Include file servers, shared drives, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams-connected document libraries. Consider archives that staff still need to retrieve.

3

Record ownership and purpose

For each meaningful file or template, identify its owner, intended audience, sensitivity, last use and whether it is still part of a live process.

4

Remove obvious duplicates from the work queue

Do not convert every temporary copy blindly. Preserve records according to policy, but prioritise authoritative versions and reusable templates.

Format decision

Choose the future format according to how the content is used

PDF: preserve viewing and print appearance

Use PDF for completed publications that need to be read, shared, printed or retained without routine editing. Check accessibility and retention requirements separately.

Word: maintain text-led documents

Word can suit forms, letters, labels and newsletters where future text editing matters. Conversion from Publisher through PDF can change complex layouts.

PowerPoint: maintain visual layouts

PowerPoint may be more practical for posters, signs, certificates, cards and other visually positioned content that needs continued editing.

Rebuild: improve recurring templates

Frequently used publications may be safer to recreate in a supported organisational template than to rely on an imperfect automated conversion.

One publication can require two outputs: a PDF that preserves the approved appearance and an editable Word or PowerPoint source for future changes.

Practical conversion

Use a controlled eight-step process

1

Prioritise important and recurring files

Start with operational templates, statutory or retained records, public information and material due to be reused after October.

2

Confirm the authoritative source

Identify the approved version and associated images, fonts or linked data before conversion.

3

Export the preservation copy

Open the publication in Publisher and save or export it as PDF. Use an appropriate print or screen quality setting for its purpose.

4

Create an editable replacement where required

Move the content into Word or PowerPoint, or rebuild it in an approved template. Do not assume PDF-to-Word conversion preserves the design.

5

Inspect the result visually

Check every page, including text flow, fonts, images, colours, tables, page size, margins, folds, labels and print alignment.

6

Check content and accessibility

Confirm that no text, links, contact information or legal wording has been lost and that the replacement meets relevant accessibility needs.

7

Update the operational process

Point staff to the new template, update instructions and stop creating new Publisher dependencies.

8

Retain evidence and originals temporarily

Keep the source publication until the replacement has been accepted and backed up, then retain or dispose of it according to policy.

Larger file estates

Automation can accelerate export—but it does not replace assurance

Microsoft provides an example PowerShell conversion script that can export individual files, folders or recursive folder structures. The example requires a working, licensed installation of Publisher and is supplied as a reference that organisations should modify and test for their environment.

Pilot bulk conversion first

Use a copy of representative files, a controlled output location and a conversion log. Check failures, duplicate names, password-protected content, linked assets and output quality before processing the wider estate. Automated success does not prove that the resulting pages are usable.

Avoid unapproved online converters

Uploading publications to a third-party service can disclose personal, confidential or operational information. Complete a security and data-protection review before using any external conversion provider.

RACF-CC assurance

Know what was found, converted and accepted

Inventory coverageLocations searched, files found, owners identified and areas that could not be assessed.
DispositionFiles converted to PDF, rebuilt for editing, retained under policy, duplicated or approved for disposal.
Conversion qualityVisual checks completed, printing tested where relevant, errors corrected and owners confirming acceptance.
Process readinessRecurring templates replaced, documentation updated and users informed before Publisher becomes unavailable.
ProtectionConverted files stored in approved locations with appropriate access, retention and backup.
Residual riskUnconverted files, unavailable owners, unsupported dependencies and a time-bound escalation or treatment decision.

Use a proportionate migration pattern

Discover → classify → pilot → convert → validate → adopt → review

A successful conversion retains the information and the organisation's ability to use it—not simply a new file extension.

Sources and status

Use current Microsoft guidance

Last checked: 10 August 2026. Product availability and guidance can change; recheck Microsoft Support and your Microsoft 365 communications before completing the migration.

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