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

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:

• Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026
• Save As or convert a publication to .pdf or .xps using Publisher
• I have thousands of Publisher files; I'm not opening each one individually to convert them. What is this BS about retiring publisher and losing access to all those files? This is 20 years of work that my business is going to lose, we won't recover from th - Microsoft Q&A