Add Microsoft publisher back to office.

Hi @Leanne McCulloch,

Thank you for posting your question to Microsoft Q&A Forum.

Publisher isn’t included in the 2024 perpetual Office (Office LTSC 2024 / Office 2024) because Microsoft is retiring Publisher in October 2026. To give teachers Publisher today, you can either deploy Microsoft 365 Apps (subscription) on Windows (Publisher is still part of that SKU) or keep selected devices on Office 2021 Pro Plus (perpetual) where Publisher is included.

As of now, Office 2021 Pro Plus (perpetual) includes Publisher and will continue to run after 2026 but no security/bug fixes once support ends. 

However, there is an Important installation constraint. You typically can’t install Office LTSC 2024 and Office 2021 (Publisher) side‑by‑side on the same device, because both are Click‑to‑Run 16.0 and have overlapping Office apps. Microsoft’s guidance spells out supported/unsupported combinations via Installation technologies used by Office; mixed Click‑to‑Run versions with overlapping apps are not supported. For devices that must have Publisher, keep them on Office 2021 Pro Plus (or uninstall Office 2024 and install Office 2021). Any attempts to add “Publisher 2021” next to Office 2024 will generally fail, as many have observed.

If your district must stay on perpetual volume licensing (no subscriptions) and only a subset of teachers needs Publisher, maintain Office 2021 Pro Plus on those machines.

Microsoft recommends converting .pub files to PDF (for finished layout) or Word (DOCX) (for editable content) before the retirement. They provide guidance and a PowerShell automation example for bulk export.  Microsoft also suggests using Word/PowerPoint/Designer for common Publisher scenarios (flyers, brochures, labels, calendars) going forward.

You can read about the migration guidance here: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support

I understand that moving from Publisher to alternative solutions may disrupt your workflow. The new applications are built on a different architecture and may not feel as familiar to everyone as Publisher. We're continuously enhancing our applications based on user feedback, and your input plays a valuable role in shaping future updates. If this feature is important to your workflow, I highly recommend submitting a suggestion directly by navigating to: Feedback Hub. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.  

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.  

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Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. 

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Do you have a stand alone version of Publisher that we can use?