MSPUBLISHER

Question

MSPUBLISHER

SRR 5

I cannot describe my deep disappointment for the senseless annihilation of Publisher!

I have thousands of *.pub files including my two books that I have worked countless hours building. MS says, "Just use WORD or POWERPOINT instead. Seriously!?! I now have less than 30 day to come up with a solution. I tried using Affinity. That was a nightmare!! Does anyone have any ideas for me? I cannot get any satisfactory help from Microsoft!!

SR

Bulldog 4,315 Reputation points

2026-09-04T14:50:51.4633333+00:00

"I now have less than 30 day to come up with a solution."

Microsoft announced the discontinuation of Publisher on February 15, 2024, giving users more than two and a half years to adjust.

1 answer

Your answer

Bulldog 4,315 Reputation points

2026-09-04T14:50:51.4633333+00:00

"I now have less than 30 day to come up with a solution."

Microsoft announced the discontinuation of Publisher on February 15, 2024, giving users more than two and a half years to adjust.

Answer 1

If you want to continue using MS Publisher after October 2026 (it's retirement date), and you have it as part of your MS 365 subscription, you'd need a standalone version. Note that 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