How do I convert 18 years of Publisher created newsletters & brochures into a new format that will allow editing?

Julia Olson 5 Reputation points
2026-04-04T20:40:16.65+00:00

Losing Publisher is akin to losing a job as a creative writer and publisher for a small non profit organization. I'm disappointed in MSFTs decision to kill this creative program that thousands of people have paid for and worked so hard to learn.

Please tell me what I can use to replace Publisher? I am working on using Word, but it does not allow near the creativity Publisher does.

I need to know how to transfer many years of Publisher documents into a format that will allow editing. It is taking me three times as much time to produce written products via Word than it did in Publisher. I'm a senior in my early 80s, and am doing this work now as a volunteer.

There is no place to go to learn a new program. Terminology is confusing. It says to use a Macro. Hate to expose my ignorance, but what in heck is a Macro? Where am I supposed to get support that is clear and easy to understand? There are hundreds of thousands of people devastated by the loss of Publisher. Might you reconsider this decision?

Julia, volunteer for the Hearing Loss Association of America/Fox Valley Chapter in Wisconsin

[Moderation note: PII removed]@athenet.net or [Moderation note: PII removed]@gmail.com

Microsoft 365 and Office | Publisher | Other

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  1. Kai-H 26,135 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-04-15T10:07:41.9966667+00:00

    Hi, Julia Olson

    Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data. 

    I understand why this feels overwhelming. Publisher ends in October 2026, but for people with years of .pub files, the real need is an editable path, not just an archive.

    Here are some suggestions you can try:

    If the goal is to keep old Publisher files editable with the least learning, it is recommended that you try LibreOffice Draw first. It can open .pub files directly, and in one peer test it kept images and clipart much better than Scribus, though WordArt may still need touching up.

    If you want a real replacement for making new newsletters and brochures, Canva is suggested for ease of use. It is simple to learn, there are lots of beginner tutorials, and there are conversion tools made specifically to turn Publisher files into editable Canva designs.

    If you prefer a desktop-style publishing program, Affinity Publisher is worth looking at. It does not open .pub files by itself, but there are converter tools that can move Publisher files into Affinity for editing, which is often a better long-term setup than rebuilding everything in Word.

    Note: This information is provided as a convenience to you. The sites are not controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above applications. 

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment."    

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  2. AI answer

    2026-04-04T20:40:36.22+00:00

    Publisher support ends after October 1, 2026, so the key steps are:

    1. Keep using Publisher while it is still available
      • Microsoft 365 subscribers can use Publisher with full functionality until October 2026.
      • Perpetual (one‑time purchase) versions of Publisher will continue to run after that date, but will no longer be supported.
    2. Convert existing Publisher files before October 2026
      To avoid losing access to years of work, convert all .pub files to formats that can be viewed and edited in other apps. A. For viewing only (quick and safest path)
      Convert each publication to PDF:
      1. Open the Publisher file.
      2. Select File > Save As.
      3. Choose where to save.
      4. In Save as type, select PDF.
      5. Select Save.
      This preserves layout for newsletters and brochures and is ideal for archiving and printing, but PDFs are not ideal for heavy editing. B. For editing in Word (more work, but editable)
      For each important publication:
      1. In Publisher, first save as PDF (steps above).
      2. Open Word.
      3. Select File > Open and choose the PDF.
      4. When Word shows a message, select OK to convert the PDF to an editable Word document.
      5. Save the new Word document.
      Notes:
      • Word optimizes the converted file for text editing, not for perfect layout.
      • Layout, especially with many pictures or complex designs, may change and need manual adjustment.
    3. Bulk conversion so each file does not need to be opened manually
      For a large number of Publisher files, use automation instead of opening each one:
      • Microsoft provides a sample PowerShell script (Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1) that can bulk‑convert .pub files to PDF (or other export formats).
      • Requirements and steps:
        1. Ensure a working, licensed version of Publisher is installed.
        2. Download the sample script to the computer.
        3. Modify the script if needed.
        4. Open PowerShell with the required execution policies.
        5. Run the script against the folders that contain Publisher files.
      Example uses (typed in PowerShell in the folder where the script is saved):
      • Convert one specific file:
        Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\Documents\MyFile.pub"
      • Convert all .pub files in the current folder:
        Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "*.pub"
      • Convert all .pub files in the current folder and all subfolders:
        Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "*.pub" -Recurse
      • Convert all .pub files in a specific folder:
        Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\Documents\*.pub"
      • Convert all .pub files in a specific folder and its subfolders:
        Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\Documents\*.pub" -Recurse
      Script behavior:
      • Continues even if some files fail and reports which files succeeded or failed.
      • If a PDF with the same name already exists, it skips that file and shows an error; rename or delete the existing file and run again.
      • Advanced users can adjust parameters using Document.ExportAsFixedFormat or Document.SaveAs to target other formats.
      For someone not comfortable with PowerShell, a local IT helper, tech‑savvy volunteer, or computer shop could run this script once to convert all historical files.
    4. Finding all Publisher files before converting
      • Search the PC, OneDrive, or SharePoint for *.pub to locate all Publisher files.
      • Run the script or manual conversions on those folders.
    5. Recommended replacements for creating new newsletters and brochures
      Publisher’s exact feature set is not duplicated, but common scenarios can be handled with other Microsoft 365 apps:
      • Newsletters, brochures, flyers, ads, cards, calendars, certificates, business cards:
        Use Word or PowerPoint with templates (for example, newsletter, brochure, flyer, or card templates).
      • Banners, signs, posters:
        Use PowerPoint (it handles large page sizes and graphics well).
      • Business invoices, applications, forms, letterhead, envelopes, labels:
        Use Word.
    6. What a macro is (in simple terms)
      A macro is an automated set of steps that a program can run for repetitive tasks. In this context, the PowerShell script plays a similar role: it automates opening each Publisher file and exporting it, so manual work is minimized.
    7. Support and learning resources
      • The official Publisher retirement article explains:
        • End of support timing.
        • How to convert files to PDF and then to Word.
        • How to use the sample PowerShell script for bulk conversion.
        • Recommended alternative apps for common Publisher tasks.
      For hands‑on help, consider:
      • Asking a local volunteer, library tech helper, or community college lab assistant to run the bulk conversion script once.
      • After conversion, focus on learning just the Word or PowerPoint features needed for newsletters and brochures (using templates to reduce layout work).

    Reconsideration of the retirement decision is not covered in the available documentation; the guidance focuses on preparing for the change and preserving access to existing content.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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