Publisher from Office Professional Plus 2016

S. Harris 0 Reputation points
2026-09-11T13:12:11.1466667+00:00

Will I still be able to use my Publisher from Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 after October? And will I be able to open files?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Publisher | For business
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  1. Julie Huynh 3,085 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-11T13:52:41.5666667+00:00

    Dear @S. Harris,

    Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!Based on your description, I understand that you're asking whether you'll still be able to use Microsoft Publisher included with Office Professional Plus 2016 after October, and whether you'll continue to be able to open your existing Publisher files.

    If you're using Office Professional Plus 2016, this is a perpetual (non-subscription) version of Office. Based on Microsoft's Publisher retirement FAQ, customers using a perpetual version of Publisher, such as Publisher included with Office Professional Plus 2016, can continue to install, use, open, and edit Publisher files after October 2026, although the product will no longer receive support, updates, or security fixes.

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    Please note that Office Professional Plus 2016 is typically a volume-licensed edition intended for organizations rather than personal retail purchase. If the license was obtained from a third-party seller, I recommend verifying that the activation is genuine and remains valid.

    I hope this information is helpful.

    Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance.

    I'm here and happy to help! Thank you for your kindness and patience! 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-11T13:12:28.46+00:00

    Yes. Publisher from Office Professional Plus 2016 is a perpetual version, so support ends in October 2026, but the app can still be installed and used after that date.

    File access depends on which edition is being used:

    • Microsoft 365 Publisher: after October 2026, it will no longer be available, and subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.
    • Perpetual Publisher such as Office/Publisher 2016: it can continue to open and edit existing .pub files after support ends.

    Important dates from the available guidance:

    • Publisher remains usable with current functionality until October 1, 2026.
    • Support for the perpetual version of Publisher ends on October 13, 2026.
    • Office 2016 overall reached end of support on October 14, 2025, which means no more security updates, bug fixes, or technical support.

    Recommended preparation:

    • Keep important .pub files backed up.
    • Convert files needed long term to PDF for viewing, or to Word if editable text is needed, because unsupported apps may continue working but are no longer serviced.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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