Publisher alternative in 2026

Affinity looks nice - but does it open MS Publisher files? I have literally thousands of files that will become useless. Does anyone know what program will edit pub files?

I'm in the exact same position! I've been spending HOURS trying to figure out an alternative to our weekly program and there is just nothing that compares! Not to mention the numerous hours ahead of me trying to convert all of our different signup sheets, booklets, and brochures. I will repeat what you said: There is "no other product that has the functionality and flexibility of Publisher."

. If anyone has suggestions of other ways to protest Microsoft's plan to discontinue Publisher PLEASE let us know.

A large number of posts here are from people (often volunteers) who use Publisher for community and small charity newsletters, flyers and posters as well as people like you who use MS Publisher to produce church newsletters. Perhaps you could all write letters to relevant church newspapers and post on appropriate church social media to bring this issue to their attention. I’d also recommend writing to your local bishops to explain how important Publisher is to local churches and small community groups and charities. If church leaders petition Microsoft to keep Publisher going on the grounds it is a vital social, charitable and faith service, this may hold more sway than individuals like us.

It appears Microsoft wants to push users into using far more complex programs that rely on AI (Artificial Intelligence). What they don’t realise is many of the volunteers who use Publisher to help run various community services are older people who have no desire whatsoever to use AI or start learning new programs. If MS persist in killing Publisher, I can see lots of small community groups, including charities and faith groups, will stop producing newsletters altogether rather than kowtow to AI!

Sophia, you summed up my thoughts perfectly. I am a church secretary, and I also have used Publisher for over 20 years to create weekly bulletins, flyers, letters and all my other publishing needs. I absolutely abhor Word, and hardly ever use it! Microsoft, please re-think this decision to discontinue Publisher! You have no other product that has the functionality and flexibility of Publisher.

I agree with you both 100%. I am a teacher and have used Publisher for over 20 years to create thousands of teaching resources. Like you, I abhor MS Word - it is fine for writing a letter, a thesis, or even a novel, but absolutely awful and completely counterintuitive for doing anything that incorporates both graphics and text. I am appalled that MS are abandoning all their Publisher users so casually.

In light of Microsoft’s decision to kill off Publisher without any regard for those of us who’ve been paying to use it successfully for many years, I’ve been considering replacing my Microsoft PC with an Apple Mac. I already have an Apple iPhone and iPad and they are so intuitive to use. However, the thing that has put me off Apple PCs (until MS announced their decision to abandon Publisher), was the fact Apple PCs cannot open or edit Publisher documents without using very clunky 3rd party workarounds. Therefore, I’ve stayed loyal to MS computers as I didn’t want to convert all my thousands of Publisher files to a format Apple could open. However, now MS are forcing me to convert all my Publisher files anyway, then I no longer have any reason to stay loyal to them and will be buying a Mac before they murder my beloved Publisher!

Word does not have the ability to create 11 x 17 documents which is what I use every day for our bulletin. Nor does it give you shapes, easily placeable text boxes, photo or headline boxes. Word is strictly for word processing not designing brochures or cards. Will Publisher assets be added to Word?