The dates
Two Microsoft pages give the dates: its support page for the end of life (Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026) and Microsoft 365 Message Center post MC1469564 (Reminder that support ends in October 2026). Put together:
| Date | What Microsoft says |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | The last day to use Publisher "with its current functionality". Microsoft's advice is to convert your existing files "before 10/1/2026". On this date "Publisher will no longer be included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions". |
| On or shortly after October 1, 2026 | Microsoft 365 subscribers lose access to Publisher as the removal update rolls out. |
| October 13, 2026 | Support ends for the perpetual (one-time purchase) version, when Office LTSC 2021 and Consumer Office 2021 reach end of support. |
| Mid-November 2026 | The removal from Microsoft 365 Apps starts with version 2611. Current Channel gets it from mid-November. |
| Early December 2026 | Monthly Enterprise Channel gets the removal. |
The Message Center post adds one warning. A PC that still has Publisher because its update has not arrived is not on an extension. Microsoft calls that access "a temporary window to open and convert impacted .pub files".
As of October 28, 2026, the removal update is still arriving on Microsoft 365 PCs. If yours still opens Publisher, convert your files now.
What happens to your .pub files
Nothing happens to the files themselves: they stay where they are. What changes is who can open them in Publisher. Microsoft's FAQ answers it by version:
- Microsoft 365 subscribers "will no longer be able to open or edit your Publisher files" once Publisher is gone, and Publisher is "no longer available for installation or download after October 2026".
- The perpetual version (the one that comes with Office LTSC 2021 and Consumer Office 2021): users "will still be able to access and edit your files", and can still install and use Publisher after October 13, even though support has ended.
- Office 2016 and 2019, standalone apps included, reached end of support on October 14, 2025 (Office 2016 and 2019 have reached end of support).
What Microsoft tells you to do
- To keep a file for viewing, sharing or printing: open it in Publisher, choose File, Save as, pick PDF as the type and save.
- To keep editing: save the PDF, open Word, choose File, Open and pick the PDF. Microsoft warns that the layout may vary, especially with many graphics. For flyers, brochures, newsletters and cards Microsoft points to Word, and for banners, signs and posters to PowerPoint.
- For many files: a sample PowerShell script, Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1, converts them to PDF in one go. It needs a licensed copy of Publisher installed. Microsoft says to modify and test it before use.
- Third-party converters are an option, but Microsoft does not support them and says their quality varies.
To find the files, Microsoft says to search for ".pub" on your PC, OneDrive and SharePoint. Unframe can also read a whole folder and list which .pub files it can open.
What to do, in order
- Find every .pub file. Search your PC, your OneDrive and any shared drive for .pub. Keep the originals even after you convert them.
- If Publisher still opens, save PDFs now. It is the only route that keeps the page exactly. PUB to PDF: every way to do it has the steps, including Microsoft's batch script.
- If Publisher is already gone, choose the file in Unframe to get the text and pictures page by page, or open it in LibreOffice Draw when the layout matters.
- For a team, Microsoft's post says to contact Microsoft Support for the build numbers and timing that apply to your organization.
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
Can I still open .pub files after October 2026?
Not with Publisher in Microsoft 365: Microsoft says subscribers can no longer open or edit .pub files in Publisher after it is removed. Perpetual Publisher can still open them. Other programs can read them: LibreOffice Draw, Scribus, and Unframe, which gets the text and pictures out in the browser.
When exactly is Publisher removed from my PC?
Microsoft gives October 1, 2026 for the end of Publisher in Microsoft 365, and says the removal reaches Current Channel from mid-November 2026 and Monthly Enterprise Channel from early December 2026. Until the update arrives, a PC may still open Publisher, but Microsoft calls that a temporary window.
Are my .pub files deleted?
No. The files stay where they are. What goes is the program that opens them.
Sources: Microsoft Support: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026; Microsoft 365 Message Center post MC1469564, Microsoft Publisher: Reminder that support ends in October 2026 (published September 9, 2026, updated October 21, 2026; read as mirrored at mc.merill.net); Microsoft Tech Community: Office 2016 and 2019 have reached end of support. 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.