Summary
Microsoft Publisher support ends Oct 2026; you have eight months to export your files.
Publisher becomes unusable after cutoff; migrate to alternatives well before Oct 2026.
Microsoft recommends Affinity Publisher 2, but PUB files may need converters; LibreOffice can open PUB files.
All good things come to an end, and Microsoft products are no different. While the company will sometimes announce the retirement of an app mere months away from the cut-off date (like it did with Microsoft Lens), sometimes it give us a little more time to adjust and adapt. Such is the case with Microsoft Publisher, with the company announcing its retirement with over two years of support remaining for the app.
Well, that deadline is beginning to crest on the horizon, and Microsoft is getting ready to push people to stop using the app. A new warning has been spotted in Publisher, warning people that they have eight months to export all their data before the company removes Publisher from Microsoft 365.
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Microsoft Publisher begins warning users eight months before the end-of-service date
Fortunately, we were well-warned
Source: Serif
News of Microsoft winding down its Publisher app is not news for Microsoft 365 veterans. We first heard of the company’s intent when it announced the end of Microsoft Publisher back in February 2024. At the time, the company said that it planned to cut support in October 2026, and it seems like it has stuck to this date.
Now, two years after the announcement, Windows Latest reports that it spotted a new notification when opening up Microsoft Publisher. It reads:
Publisher is retiring
Beginning October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported, and you won’t be able to access Publisher or open Publisher files.
While other apps tend to still work after the support deadline, Microsoft is serious about scrapping Publisher entirely. As such, if you have any Microsoft Publisher files, it’s worth finding an alternative app now so you can iron out all the migration issues before Publisher becomes unusable.
Microsoft’s article on the retirement of Publisher includes a recommendation section where the company advises people move to Affinity Publisher 2. However, as far as I can see, Affinity Publisher 2 doesn’t open PUB files, meaning you may need to use a converter if you want to move your files over. That being said, I am seeing reports that LibreOffice does open PUB files, so it’s worth spending some time trying out different apps and find the one that suits your needs best.