October 14, 2026, 11:54 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Microsoft has ended support for Publisher. Those who still have old flyers, invitations, or other drafts saved should now take care of their pub files.
As of October 14, 2026, Microsoft Publisher is officially being phased out. A day earlier, on October 13, 2026, support ended for Publisher 2021 and Office 2021 for both private and business customers. This means Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, bug fixes, or technical support.
The purchase version with a perpetual license can still be installed and used. However, this does not make its use any safer. Newly discovered vulnerabilities will no longer be patched with updates and can become security risks. Publisher is also disappearing from Microsoft 365. Microsoft is removing the layout program from the subscription version via an update.
It’s Better to Save Old Publisher Files as PDFs
The end of support primarily affects users who have older documents saved in the Publisher format with the “.pub” file extension. Microsoft recommends saving necessary drafts as PDFs while a functional version of Publisher is still available. To do this, open the document and save it as a PDF via “File” and “Save As.”
Also of interest: AI shares data with third parties–and users don’t notice
The created PDF copy can then be opened, viewed, and printed without Publisher. Old invitations, flyers, business cards, or other drafts remain usable files in this way. Those who still have important pub files saved should therefore check which documents will still be needed in the future.
Word and PowerPoint to Replace Publisher
If an old Publisher draft still needs to be edited, there is also a way. According to Microsoft, the previously created PDF file can be opened in Word and converted into a Word document. This works well, especially for files that consist mainly of text.
Die besten Microsoft-Surface-Laptops
However, with more complex layouts, the conversion can cause problems. Graphics and other elements may shift, and entire pages may appear only as images. The text on them cannot be edited. Therefore, the result should be carefully checked afterward. For new projects, Microsoft points to other Office programs: Word is suitable for envelopes and labels, and PowerPoint for posters and banners.