Following Microsoft's decision to discontinue its desktop publishing software, Microsoft Publisher, the Document Foundation has stepped in to offer an alternative. The organization announced that its open-source office suite, LibreOffice, now provides full support for the .pub file format.
Microsoft Publisher, which was first released in 1991, has been retired after approximately 35 years of service. This change has left some users unable to access or edit their existing .pub files within the Microsoft 365 environment.
The Document Foundation confirmed that the LibreOffice Draw component is equipped to parse .pub files. Users can open, view, and edit these files for free, as well as convert them into Open Document Format (ODF) or other standard file types.
This initiative aims to assist users in migrating their data and preserving digital assets that might otherwise become inaccessible due to the retirement of the proprietary software format.
