Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life on 13 October 2026. Following this date, it will no longer be available as part Microsoft 365 or the Office suite of software, and support for existing on-premises suites will stop.
This decision is likely due to both a decrease in demand for print design and some of Publisher’s features becoming available in other programs, including Word, PowerPoint, and Designer. Microsoft Create also offers a range of free templates similar to those available in Publisher.
Until 2026, the desktop publishing program will continue to provide users with the same functionality and Microsoft will continue to provide support and maintenance for it. The notice time given, however, is intended to provide organisations with ample time to plan for its retirement, such as converting projects saved in Publisher’s proprietary .pub format, which cannot be accessed/open in any other application.
Microsoft has not announced a specific alternative for Publisher: it says it is “exploring modern ways to achieve other common Publisher scenarios” across the applications in the Microsoft 365 suite. We will continue to update you with any further developments.
If you have concerns about compatibility issues or alternative desktop publishing solutions, please get in touch with us for support.