If you still have Publisher
Microsoft's own instructions (Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026), for one file:
- Open the Publisher file.
- Choose File, then Save as, and pick a place to save it.
- Pick PDF as the file type and choose Save.
Office Watch calls this "the most faithful copy you'll ever get" (How to Open Publisher Files Now That Microsoft Killed Publisher), with "very limited use for editing". Keep the .pub file too.
Many files at once
Microsoft provides a sample PowerShell script, Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1, for converting a lot of files. It needs a licensed copy of Publisher on the same computer, and Microsoft says to modify and test it for your own needs. Its examples, from Microsoft's page:
- One file:
Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\Documents\MyFile.pub" - Every file in the current folder:
Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "*.pub" - Including subfolders:
Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "*.pub" -Recurse - Every file in one folder:
Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\Documents\*.pub"
The script keeps going past errors and reports which files converted. It does not overwrite a PDF that already exists, so delete or rename it and run again. Before you start, Unframe can list the .pub files in a folder and check which ones it can read, which is a way to see how many files you have.
If you do not have Publisher
| Route | What you get | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| LibreOffice Draw (free; Windows, Mac, Linux) | An imported page with its layout, which you can export to PDF. Officially LibreOffice imports Publisher files from versions 98 to 2010 (Microsoft Publisher discontinued, LibreOffice Draw opens only files up to 2010 (in German)). | Layout can deviate, mostly in complex files. Office Watch lists missing fonts as the most common problem, and linked text boxes, tables and effects as the places conversions break. It cannot save back to .pub. |
| Scribus (free) | An import with its layout, for heavier layout work. Office Watch describes it as a layout program that also imports .pub files. | The same reverse-engineered import as LibreOffice, so the same limits apply. |
| Online converters | A PDF or Word file back from a server. Aspose says its converter does not store files and that the download links stop working after 24 hours (Free PUB to PDF Converter Online). PDF24 says the conversion is done on its servers in Germany and that files are deleted after one hour (PUB to PDF). | Your file leaves your computer. For a flyer that is fine; for an invoice, a roster or anything with names in it, think first. |
| Unframe (this site) | The text of every box and the pictures, page by page, a Word file, and a PDF of the text and pictures from your browser's print dialog. | No layout: no fonts, colours or shapes. Nothing leaves your computer. |
The import in LibreOffice and Scribus is the work of the Document Liberation Project, which reverse-engineered the format. Office Watch puts the consequence plainly: your ability to open these files "depends on volunteers maintaining a reverse-engineered format, not on Microsoft".
Getting a PDF from Unframe
- Choose the file on the Unframe page.
- Check the pages. Each text box and picture appears in reading order.
- Choose Print or save as PDF. In your browser's print window, pick Save as PDF as the destination.
That PDF holds the words and pictures, one section per page, in your browser's fonts. It is a reading copy, not a copy of the page. If you need the page itself, use one of the routes above.
What no route outside Publisher can promise
- The exact fonts, unless you install them first. A missing font is replaced, and the text then runs longer or shorter.
- Linked text boxes, where a story flows from one box into the next. LibreOffice and Scribus try; Unframe reads such a story once, in the first box.
- Effects: shadows, special borders, fancy text. Unframe leaves them out; the others approximate them.
Open a .pub file
Choose the file and get its text and pictures back, page by page, with a Word file to save. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Questions
How do I convert a .pub file to PDF without Publisher?
Open it in LibreOffice Draw (free) and export to PDF, or upload it to an online converter, or open it in Unframe and print the page to PDF to get the words and pictures without the layout. Only Publisher itself keeps the page exactly.
Is there a way to convert many .pub files to PDF?
Yes, if you still have Publisher: Microsoft provides a sample PowerShell script, Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1, that converts every .pub file in a folder. It needs a licensed copy of Publisher.
Which Publisher versions does LibreOffice open?
Born City reported on October 17, 2026 that LibreOffice officially imports Publisher files from versions 98 to 2010. Newer files can still open, with more differences.
Sources: Microsoft Support: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026; Born City, October 17, 2026: Microsoft Publisher discontinued, LibreOffice Draw opens only files up to 2010 (in German); Office Watch, October 14, 2026: How to Open Publisher Files Now That Microsoft Killed Publisher; Aspose: Free PUB to PDF Converter Online; PDF24 Tools: PUB to PDF. Last checked: October 28, 2026. Unframe is an independent tool by Peak Apps Studio and is not affiliated with Microsoft. Microsoft and Publisher are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.