Why is Publisher being phased out, and what is Microsoft replacing it with? Will Microsoft 365 be cheaper since they are phasing out the program?

Sorry, but I've just tried converting a Publisher application to Word and it fails hopelessly. I have produced bookmarks for years in Publisher, printing 6 to an A$ sheet. I can set a page size of 4.95cm by 21cm, put text and artwork in and then ask Publisher to print multiple pages per sheet. I don't have to tell it how many to a sheet it, it can work that out and tell me how many will fit.

I tried a similar approach in Word and tripped over a raft of defaults that are geared to printing text on standard page sizes. It struggled to deal with a borderless printing request and failed in the end. In addition although I told it to print 6 copies per page, it refused to do so, printing just one on the left hand side with an arbitrary border at the bottom in spite of apparently being borderless.

As other respondents have indicated, you have a long way to go before providing a viable alternative. I've just looked at Designer, and besides being online only, it looks like something produced for Kindergarten and completely fails to have facilities to replace functions of Publisher. With the headlong, uncoordinated, rush to renewables for electricity, working offline is something we might have to get used to.

Most applications have now hit the point of diminishing returns in terms of adding features. AI so far is more of a hinderance than a help - it keeps on popping up when not required. Perhaps Publisher could just be left as is and still made available. I have noticed that it no longer appears in the 365 apps. I need to replace an "old" computer in order to migrate to Windows 11, but that means I will loose Publisher if I do so. Since it is not being discontinued until 2026, could you please reinstate it in 365 until the discontinued date.

Nothing is comparable to Microsoft Publisher within Microsoft or outside Microsoft. Please keep it.

I think they think all we users do with Publisher is make Lost Dog posters. >:(

Well said. I too am frustrated by the totally insufficiency of word or and other Microsoft products to do all that Publisher can do. Better they should do away with Word than Publisher which is so.much more useful. I hope Microsoft will listen.

I was told that Microsoft does not monitor this community bulletin board. You can send feedback to Microsoft using the feedback portal at https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/. I am not sure if there is a specific category for Publisher. If there isn't, you can use the Word category. Share this information. Maybe if Microsoft hears from enough of us, they will do better than just advising us to save all our publisher files to pdf and actually improve the functionality of Word. Or better yet keep Publisher.

Probably those who made this decision never used Publisher, but I bet they've used Adobe InDesign.