Serious Negative Impact of Discontinuing Microsoft Publisher on Business Operations

If you have a desktop non-365 version of Publisher that has a perpetual license (e.g., Microsoft Office Professional 2021), it won't be deleted from you computer. You can continue to use it after Oct 2026, but it won't be getting any more updates.

If you have the 365 version of Publisher that is a subscription, then you'll no longer be able to use it to open or edit Publisher files after support ends in Oct 2026. You will need to use another application. That's the risk you run when you use subscription software as opposed to software with perpetual license. I do not recommend using PowerPoint or Word since those applications lack the features found in Publisher. Here are some options:

• Purchase Microsoft Office Professional (Pro) 2021 which has Publisher with a perpetual license. Microsoft stopped selling 2021 a few months ago, so you will have look for a retailer. However be aware you typically cannot have both Office 365 and Office 2021 installed on the same computer. You'll have to choose which one to use, or install them on separate computers. Microsoft Office Professional (Pro) is a perpetual license for individuals and you are given a product key. Once installed, the product is in your Microsoft account, and you can download and reinstall it again at a later time, if you need to. Avoid Office Professional Plus and Office LTSC Professional Plus. They are for organizations that use volume licensing. Some are illegal copies, do not come with product keys, and will not appear in your Microsoft account.
• Download and install LibreOffice. See https://www.libreoffice.org/. LibreOffice installs on your computer, and it is a free complete office suite of applications (Writer, Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math). Draw will open Publisher files and allow you to edit them.
• Download and install Affinity Page Layout. See https://www.affinity.studio/page-layout-software. Affinity Page Layout is also free (without AI) and installs on your computer. But it currently does not open Publisher files directly. You first need to convert the Publisher file to PDF. (There are several online file converters that will do the conversion for you for free.) Then use Affinity Page Layout to open the PDF as described here: https://www.affinity.studio/help/get-started-import-pdf/.

Which of these three options to use depends on your needs. If you want to continue using Publisher, then Microsoft Office Professional 2021 is your best choice. You avoid a learning curve, but you may need a 2nd computer.

If you are looking for a free option, and only create simple, single-page items (flyers, signs, basic forms), or have a massive archive of old Publisher files that all need to be frequently opened/edited, then choose LibreOffice Draw. However, it lacks precision alignment and advanced commercial print controls like bleed setup and robust CMYK color profiles required by professional printing presses.

On the other hand, if you routinely design complex, multi-page layouts (newsletters, booklets, catalogs) and need a highly professional tool that functions similarly to Adobe InDesign, then choose Affinity Page Layout.

There are a number of YouTube videos that describe the features and how to use LibreOffice Draw and Affinity Page Layout. Many features work very similar to Publisher.

You can use an older one-time purchase license which includes Publisher. Office Professional 2021 would be one example, but note that Microsoft no longer sells that version (although they did fairly recently).

To make sure that Microsoft reads your feedback about the discontinuation of Publisher, you'll have to post in the feedback portal at https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/ .

You might consider the standalone version of Publisher. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone product on its primary storefront, but you should be able to purchase the Microsoft Office Professional 2021 suite, which is a one-time purchase that includes Publisher alongside the core apps like Word and Excel. You can still find legitimate retail keys from authorized third-party sellers and established tech retailers like CDW or My Choice Software, where prices for the full suite often range between $200 and $400 depending on the specific licensing terms. Some specialized software vendors like Digital License and FastSoftwares still list individual keys for Publisher 2021 specifically, often at a lower price point around $50 to $100, though you should verify their current stock and activation guarantees before buying. Be careful with extremely low-priced "lifetime" deals on unfamiliar sites, as these are often volume licenses not intended for individual resale and may be deactivated by Microsoft later.

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hth

Marcin