How to open .pub files without Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft stopped including Publisher in Microsoft 365 on October 1, 2026, and support for the perpetual Publisher 2021 ends on October 13, 2026 (Microsoft). If you have newsletters, flyers, certificates or church bulletins saved as .pub, you have four options:

1. Still have Publisher installed? Export everything now

If you own a perpetual (non-subscription) copy, it keeps working. Open each file and use File → Save As → PDF. With hundreds of files this takes a long time — Microsoft also offers a PowerShell script, but users describe it as "NOT easy for most users".

2. Open them in free LibreOffice Draw

LibreOffice (free) can open many .pub files in its Draw program. Quality varies: simple layouts usually look right; WordArt and some effects are lost. You open and export files one by one.

3. Convert them all at once online

ConvertPubFiles converts a whole folder (as a ZIP) of up to 2000 files at once, without Publisher. You get a PDF of every file plus an editable .odg file for LibreOffice Draw, and you see page 1 of every file before paying.

Convert your .pub files now →
Preview of every file before you pay · up to 3 files free · files deleted after 24 hours

4. Re-create important files in Word or PowerPoint

For documents you still edit every week, re-building the layout in Word, PowerPoint or another design tool may be worth it. Use the converted PDF as a visual reference.

What usually doesn't convert well

• WordArt
• Files from very old Publisher versions (1.0/2.0)
• Fonts that aren't installed — they are replaced by the closest match

More guides

• Convert PUB to PDF — hundreds of files at once, no Publisher needed
• Batch convert Microsoft Publisher files (ZIP of up to 2000 .pub files)
• Microsoft Publisher alternatives after October 2026 — and what to do with old .pub files
• Can I convert a .pub file to Word (.docx)?