Microsoft is discontinuing its desktop publishing application, Publisher. The software will be removed from the Microsoft 365 subscription service on October 1, 2026. Support for perpetual licenses of the program will end on October 13, 2026, coinciding with the end of support for Office 2021.
Publisher is absent from subsequent Office releases, including the 2024 version. Microsoft suggests that users replace the application with Word, PowerPoint, or Designer. The company advises converting existing .PUB files to .PDF or .DOCX formats, though this may result in formatting issues.
According to 6sense data for 2026, Microsoft Publisher holds an 18.76% market share in the digital publishing software category. Enlyft reports that the application accounted for 14% of the desktop publishing market in 2025. Users can continue running the software after support ends at their own risk, or utilize unofficial security patches from 0patch.
