Microsoft Publisher is Retiring from October 1st, 2026

Microsoft Publisher, first released in 1991, has been used by businesses for many years to create flyers, newsletters, posters, certificates, forms, templates, branded documents and other internal or external documents. However, 35 years on Microsoft has confirmed that Publisher will reach the end of its life in October 2026, with Microsoft 365 users no longer able to access Publisher from October 1st, 2026. 

For businesses that still rely on Publisher created documents, now is the time to start migrating to a new platform. Historic documents, templates, marketing materials, forms and newsletters may all become difficult or impossible to access or edit if they are left in Publisher format. 

 

What is happening to Microsoft Publisher? 

Microsoft Publisher is being retired from October 1st, 2026. After this date, Publisher will no longer be included with Microsoft 365, and Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files using the Publisher application. 

This does not mean every Publisher file will disappear. However, it does mean that Publisher .pub files will become effectively useless and that users/businesses need to take action now to protect any files they may need in the future. 

 

What should businesses do before Publisher is retired? 

The most important step is to review your Publisher files and export anything important before the retirement date. 

We recommend that businesses: 

1. Search for Publisher files across local devices, OneDrive, SharePoint and shared folders by looking for files ending in .pub. Advanced Search options should allow you to identify all files which end with this file extension. 
2. Prioritise important documents such as branded templates, brochures, forms, newsletters, flyers, certificates, business cards, event materials and customer-facing documents. 
3. Open each important Publisher file before October 1st, 2026, to check whether it is still needed. 
4. For those that are still required by your business after October 1st, 2026, export important documents as PDFs so they can still be viewed after Publisher is retired. 
5. Consider converting text-heavy documents into Word where future editing is likely to be required. 
6. Recreate business-critical templates in a modern design platform such as Affinity or Adobe InDesign before Publisher access becomes a problem. 

For businesses with large volumes of Publisher files, it may also be worth considering a bulk conversion process. However, it is worth noting this should be tested carefully before being used across live business documents and that the exports should be analysed to ensure that the conversion process is accurate for all documents. 

 

Why is exporting Publisher files to PDF essential? 

PDF is one of the most reliable formats for keeping a document accessible after the original application has been retired. It helps preserve the layout, fonts, images and structure of a document in a format that can be opened by many different applications across multiple systems. 

If a Publisher document is only needed for reference or a preexisting template for printing, PDF may be enough. However, if the document needs to be edited in the future, it may need to be recreated in a new platform or converted into another editable format inside another software suite. 

It is important to understand that conversion to other file formats is not always perfect. Documents with complex layouts, layered graphics, text boxes, embedded images or non-standard fonts may not convert cleanly. That is why important files should be checked manually after they are exported. However, it is worth noting that some layered PDF formats may be readable by alternative tools that will allow them to be converted or edited from that PDF. 

 

What is the best alternative to Microsoft Publisher? 

This is subjective, as there is no single answer for every business, because the right alternative depends on how Publisher has been used by your business. 

For basic documents, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint may be suitable. Microsoft itself recommends these apps for many common Publisher-style tasks, including labels, envelopes, newsletters, booklets, certificates, letterheads and more. 

However, for users who want a far more powerful creative and desktop publishing platform, there are a range of tools such as Affinity, Adobe InDesign, Canva and others. TwentyFour’s own Marketing Team recommends Affinity by Canva as a strong full-featured and free alternative to Microsoft Publisher. 

 

TwentyFour recommends Affinity 

Affinity is a powerful, full-featured design and desktop publishing platform with tools for page layout, graphic design, image editing, branded documents and marketing content in high-quality vector formats across a range of pre-programmed document formats or custom sizes. 

TwentyFour’s own Marketing Team uses Affinity for many of our marketing design work, branded document creation, flyers, brochures, banner stands, exhibition stands, teams backgrounds and a whole lot more. Our Marketing Manager, A.J., has personally been using the Affinity suite of applications since 2015, so this is a platform we know well and trust from a marketing and content creation perspective. 

For the vast majority of Microsoft Publisher users, Affinity provides the tools they are likely to need, including professional page layouts, image placement, typography, vector graphics, PDF handling, brand-led design and export options for both print and digital use across a wide range of formats and qualities. 

One of the biggest benefits is that Affinity is that Version 3 of the software, which launched on October 30th, 2025, is completely FREE to download and use for the vast majority of tools most users will need. Some advanced features, including certain AI image or vector generation tools using Canva AI, may require a paid Canva Pro subscription. 

 

Can Publisher PDFs be opened in Affinity? 

Yes, exported PDFs from Publisher can be opened directly in Affinity and, in some cases, edited. This can make Affinity a practical option for businesses that want to preserve old Publisher documents and potentially adapt them in the future. 

However, this depends on how the original Publisher file was built and how well it exports. Some layered PDFs may be easy to edit and update (even making text editable), while others may need to be recreated properly inside Affinity. 

For this reason, businesses should not assume that every exported PDF of a Publisher file will transfer perfectly. Important documents should be exported, opened, checked and, where necessary, rebuilt as modern Affinity files. 

 

Does TwentyFour support Affinity? 

Unfortunately not, while TwentyFour’s Marketing Team uses Affinity internally and is comfortable recommending it as a practical alternative to Microsoft Publisher, TwentyFour does not actively support the Affinity platform. 

Any questions about how to use Affinity should be referred to their learning portal or to their community groups such as the Affinity Discord, queries on how to troubleshoot Affinity or how to access Canva AI features inside Affinity should be directed to Affinity by Canva. 

TwentyFour can support businesses with their Microsoft 365 licensing, Microsoft 365 app access, file storage, SharePoint, OneDrive, user management and wider IT planning around the Publisher retirement. 

 

Other Microsoft Publisher Alternatives 

Affinity is our recommended option for businesses that want a powerful, full-featured design platform. However, there are other alternatives depending on your requirements. 

Microsoft Word 

Word is suitable for simple text-led documents, forms, letterheads, newsletters, labels and basic printable documents. It is already included in many Microsoft 365 plans (excluding Email Only Plans), which make it a familiar and accessible option for many teams. 

Microsoft PowerPoint 

PowerPoint can even be useful for posters, flyers, signage, certificates and simple visual layouts. Many businesses already use PowerPoint for internal communications, event slides, social graphics and quick design work. 

Canva 

Canva (who own the Affinity Desktop Design Suite) can be a good option for simple online design, social media graphics, templates and quick branded content. It is especially useful for teams that want browser-based design tools and easy collaboration. 

Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator 

Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator are suitable professional alternatives, particularly for businesses with more advanced design requirements. InDesign is commonly used for professional page layout and publishing, while Illustrator is used for vector artwork, logos, icons and scalable graphics. These are paid tools available through Adobe’s Creative Cloud platform. However, it is worth noting that many of the tools users would require migrating from Publisher are also available in Affinity. 

 

What should your business do next? 

The Publisher retirement may not feel urgent yet, but it is a ticking clock! The safest approach is to act early so that your business is prepared for October 1st, 2026. 

Businesses should start by identifying where Publisher files are stored across their business estate, deciding which documents are still needed, exporting important files to PDF, choosing a suitable replacement platform before access becomes an issue and beginning to learn to effectively utilise these new tools. 

This is especially important for businesses with long-serving templates, brand documents, forms, customer-facing PDFs, event materials or historic marketing content that is regularly used or accessed. 

 

Microsoft Publisher retirement checklist, how many have you done? 

Before 1 October 2026, your business should: 

• Find all .pub files across devices, OneDrive, SharePoint and shared folders. 

• Decide which files still matter. 

• Export important Publisher files to PDF. 

• Open and check exported PDFs. 

• Recreate regularly used templates in a modern platform. 

• Choose a Publisher alternative such as Affinity, Adobe InDesign, Canva or even Word & PowerPoint for less graphically or layout intensive workloads. 

• Make sure staff know where future templates will be stored, who can access these and through which software. 

• Ask your IT partner about any Microsoft 365 licensing or access questions, enquire about bulk converting documents for those businesses with large quantities of .pub format documents. 

 

Need support with Microsoft 365? 

If your business has questions about its Microsoft 365 licensing, Publisher access leading up to October 1st 2026, OneDrive, SharePoint or how the Publisher retirement may impact your users or your business, TwentyFour are here to help and support your business. 

We can advise on Microsoft 365 environments, file storage, user access, licensing and your wider technology and cyber security considerations to support your business to grow and succeed. 

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