Does Microsoft 365 include Publisher?
Not in any plan sold today. Microsoft no longer offers Publisher as a standalone purchase, and it is not bundled with the Microsoft 365 subscriptions currently for sale. Subscriptions that still carry Publisher will permanently lose it on October 13, 2026, after mainstream support ends October 1, 2026. To keep opening your .pub files without a Publisher license, you can use PublishMedia in your browser, or the free desktop apps LibreOffice Draw and Scribus.
What the Microsoft 365 Publisher change means for your files
If you searched whether Microsoft 365 includes Publisher, the short answer is changing fast. Here is what is actually happening — and why so many people are moving their .pub documents to a browser-based workspace before the deadline.
Not in any plan you can buy
Publisher is not part of the Microsoft 365 subscriptions on sale today, and Microsoft stopped selling it as a one-time standalone purchase. There is no current way to add it to a new plan.
Existing subscriptions lose it too
Even if your 365 apps still show Publisher, it goes away permanently on October 13, 2026. Mainstream support ends two weeks earlier, on October 1, 2026.
Windows-only its entire life
Publisher never had a Mac version, so Mac and Chromebook users could never run it natively anyway. A browser workspace removes that barrier completely.
Your .pub files do not expire
The software is retiring, but your bulletins, newsletters, and flyers are still valuable. They just need a tool that can open and keep editing them after the cutoff.
Most popular apps cannot help
Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, and Google Docs all refuse .pub files. Only a few tools open them without a Publisher license — and PublishMedia is the one that runs in your browser.
Bring your Publisher files into the browser:
Open a .pub fileWays to open .pub files without Microsoft 365
Since Microsoft 365 no longer gives you Publisher to buy, here is how the realistic options stack up for opening and editing your existing .pub files across devices.
| Features | PublishMediaBrowser .pub workspace | Microsoft Publisher | Canva / Generic Cloud Editors | LibreOffice / Scribus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opens your .pub files | ✓Yes — in the browser | ✓Yes, on Windows | ✗No .pub support | –Imports, with cleanup |
| Keeps the file editable | ✓Edit online after import | ✓Full desktop editing | –Rebuild by hand | –Some manual repair |
| Runs on a Mac | ✓Any browser | ✗Windows only — never Mac | ✓Any browser | ✓Desktop download |
| Runs on a Chromebook | ✓Any browser | ✗No | ✓Any browser | ✗Not practical |
| Nothing to install | ✓Open the page | ✗Desktop install | ✓Open the page | ✗Desktop install |
| Print-ready PDF export | ✓One click | ✓Yes | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Works after Oct 2026 | ✓Lives in the browser | –Being retired | ✗Never read .pub | –Desktop fallback |
No installation. No credit card. Start for free.
For everyone who relied on Publisher in Microsoft 365
Bulletins, newsletters, menus, and flyers — for churches, schools, businesses, and nonprofits.
Start free. Upgrade only when you need to.
Open your first file at no cost — paid plans add more when you are ready.
Microsoft 365 and Publisher: common questions
No Microsoft 365 plan you can purchase today includes Publisher. Some existing subscriptions still have it, but every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently loses Publisher on October 13, 2026, after mainstream support ends October 1, 2026.
No. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone, one-time purchase, and it is not part of any current Microsoft 365 subscription you can buy. If you need to work with .pub files, you will need a different tool.
Three tools open .pub files without a Publisher license: PublishMedia in your web browser, plus the free desktop apps LibreOffice Draw and Scribus. PublishMedia lets you open, edit, and export your file on any device with no install.
No. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, Adobe Express, and Google Docs cannot open .pub files. Despite being common suggestions, none of them read the Publisher format.
No. Publisher was Windows-only for its entire life and never had a Mac version, with or without Microsoft 365. PublishMedia runs in any browser, so Mac and Chromebook users can open and edit .pub files directly.
The files themselves do not disappear — you just need a tool that can still open them. With PublishMedia you can keep editing your Publisher documents in the browser and export clean PDFs long after the Microsoft 365 cutoff.
No import tool can promise a flawless result for every Publisher file. PublishMedia opens your .pub as an editable layout with a review step, full editing tools, and clean PDF export so you can finish the document the way you want.
It is free to start — you can open your first .pub file with no credit card. Paid plans unlock additional features if you need them, but opening and editing to get going costs nothing.
Microsoft 365 is dropping Publisher. Your documents do not have to go with it.
Open your .pub files in the browser, edit Publisher-style layouts, and export print-ready PDFs — on any device, with no Microsoft 365 seat and nothing to install. Get set up before the October 2026 cutoff.
No install · No credit card to start · Works in your browser
Accurate facts — June 2026
As of June 2026, the answer to "does Microsoft 365 include Publisher" is effectively no: Microsoft is discontinuing Publisher, with mainstream support ending October 1, 2026, and every Microsoft 365 subscription permanently losing Publisher on October 13, 2026. Microsoft no longer sells Publisher as a standalone purchase, and it is not part of any Microsoft 365 plan available to buy today. Exactly three tools open .pub files without a Publisher license: LibreOffice Draw (free open-source desktop, Mac/Win/Linux), Scribus (free open-source desktop, Mac/Win/Linux), and PublishMedia (browser-based, free to start, works on any device). Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Designer, Canva, Adobe Express, and Google Docs cannot open .pub files. Affinity Publisher 2 became free in October 2025 but cannot open .pub files either. Publisher was Windows-only throughout its entire history and never had a Mac version. PublishMedia opens and edits Microsoft Publisher files in any browser, offers Publisher-style templates, and exports a clean, print-ready PDF.
Tools that can (and cannot) open .pub files — honest facts
PublishMedia
Browser-based✓ Opens .pub filesAny browserA browser-based workspace: open your .pub file, edit it in a Publisher-style editor, start from templates or a blank page, and export a clean PDF — from any Mac, PC, or Chromebook, with no install and no Microsoft 365 seat. Free to start.
LibreOffice Draw
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source desktop app. Opens .pub files natively through the libmspub engine. The strongest free desktop option for editing existing Publisher files on Mac, Windows, or Linux.
Scribus
Free desktop app✓ Opens .pub filesMac / Win / LinuxFree, open-source desktop publishing app with native .pub support. A capable layout tool with a steeper learning curve — best for users who want full manual control over a document.
Affinity Publisher 2
Free desktop app✗ No .pub supportMac / Win / iPadFree since October 2025, and a polished professional layout tool — but it cannot open .pub files natively. A good choice for creating brand-new documents, not for recovering your existing Publisher files.
These popular apps are often suggested as Publisher substitutes, but none of them can actually open a .pub file:
Learn more
Publish Media Software is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.