Hello, Microsoft announced that Publisher will not be supported after 2026, but the announcement was vague so I wanted to clear up a few things: Will Microsoft Publisher still be available to use (albeit unsupported) after October 2026 or will it be removed from computers that have them? If it is removed, does this only apply to Microsoft 365 subscriptions or will Office 2021 lifetime standalones also have Publisher removed? What if you want to continue using Publisher? Much of my work revolves around using Publisher. Is there any way to keep it after Oct. 2026? Original End of Support message: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support Thanks in advance!

>> Will Microsoft Publisher still be available to use (albeit unsupported) after October 2026 or will it be removed from computers that have them? If it is removed, does this only apply to Microsoft 365 subscriptions or will Office 2021 lifetime standalones also have Publisher removed? What if you want to continue using Publisher? Much of my work revolves around using Publisher. Is there any way to keep it after Oct. 2026? >> Publisher is being removed from the Microsoft 365 subscription in October 2026. As of March 2025, the plan is to remove it from computers that have the subscription. (This may change.) It only applies to the Microsoft 365 subscription. Office 2021 and older are not affected. Note: Publisher is not in Office 2024. If you have Office 2021 or older, Publisher will not be removed. Microsoft is considering options for people who are using Publisher. Any changes to the policy will be updated in this article: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support

I depend on Microsoft Publisher for everything. I write books with lots of layers and graphics and photos. You cannot do this in Word. And there really are very few other programs that layer. Please do not eliminate Publisher. Or if you do, create a new Word with layering capabilities. Word is just not adequate for my purposes. Thank you, Gina Sammis A long time user!

Why can't Microsoft leave a working copy of Publisher on my PC even though it will no longer be supported? I have been using it since its introduction and have hundreds of files that were generated with Publisher. I find it useful for many tasks I perform. It is not as easy to accomplish in Word some of the tasks that are so easy in Publisher. Please leave us a working version of Publisher.

Connie, I agree with you. I have been using MS Publisher for the past 16 years for my monthly newsletter and I cannot imagine why MS would take it away. There are too many people and organizations who rely on it.

I want to thank Microsoft for rethinking opportunities of continuing using Microsoft Publisher for those of us who depend on it for our projects. Microsoft Word is clumsy using photos. Please, please open the door for an continuing Microsoft Publisher use for us. I would greatly appreciate it. I make greeting cards using your templates for letter size 2-fold. There is no other software that I've found that offers borderless printing. I use photographs for my cards and prefer borderless. Publisher is my software of choice for this project, as well as my genealogy work. My heart will break if Publisher is taken from me. Sincerely, Ginny

Can people keep using Microsoft Publisher unsupported after the end of support date in October 2026?

Anonymous

Hello, Microsoft announced that Publisher will not be supported after 2026, but the announcement was vague so I wanted to clear up a few things:

Will Microsoft Publisher still be available to use (albeit unsupported) after October 2026 or will it be removed from computers that have them?
If it is removed, does this only apply to Microsoft 365 subscriptions or will Office 2021 lifetime standalones also have Publisher removed?
What if you want to continue using Publisher? Much of my work revolves around using Publisher. Is there any way to keep it after Oct. 2026?

Original End of Support message: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support

Thanks in advance!

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Diane Poremsky MVP 17,526 MVP Volunteer Moderator

Will Microsoft Publisher still be available to use (albeit unsupported) after October 2026 or will it be removed from computers that have them?
If it is removed, does this only apply to Microsoft 365 subscriptions or will Office 2021 lifetime standalones also have Publisher removed?
What if you want to continue using Publisher? Much of my work revolves around using Publisher. Is there any way to keep it after Oct. 2026?

Publisher is being removed from the Microsoft 365 subscription in October 2026. As of March 2025, the plan is to remove it from computers that have the subscription. (This may change.)
It only applies to the Microsoft 365 subscription. Office 2021 and older are not affected. Note: Publisher is not in Office 2024.
If you have Office 2021 or older, Publisher will not be removed. Microsoft is considering options for people who are using Publisher.

Any changes to the policy will be updated in this article:

Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support

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102 additional answers

Anonymous

2025-05-27T16:40:24+00:00

I depend on Microsoft Publisher for everything. I write books with lots of layers and graphics and photos. You cannot do this in Word. And there really are very few other programs that layer. Please do not eliminate Publisher. Or if you do, create a new Word with layering capabilities. Word is just not adequate for my purposes.

Thank you, Gina Sammis

A long time user!
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Anonymous

2025-05-22T15:43:25+00:00

Why can't Microsoft leave a working copy of Publisher on my PC even though it will no longer be supported? I have been using it since its introduction and have hundreds of files that were generated with Publisher. I find it useful for many tasks I perform. It is not as easy to accomplish in Word some of the tasks that are so easy in Publisher. Please leave us a working version of Publisher.
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5 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2025-05-17T01:43:17+00:00

Connie, I agree with you. I have been using MS Publisher for the past 16 years for my monthly newsletter and I cannot imagine why MS would take it away. There are too many people and organizations who rely on it.
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2 people found this answer helpful.

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Anonymous

2025-05-16T23:03:49+00:00

I want to thank Microsoft for rethinking opportunities of continuing using Microsoft Publisher for those of us who depend on it for our projects. Microsoft Word is clumsy using photos.

Please, please open the door for an continuing Microsoft Publisher use for us. I would greatly appreciate it. I make greeting cards using your templates for letter size 2-fold. There is no other software that I've found that offers borderless printing. I use photographs for my cards and prefer borderless. Publisher is my software of choice for this project, as well as my genealogy work.

My heart will break if Publisher is taken from me.

Sincerely,

Ginny
Was this answer helpful?

3 people found this answer helpful.

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