Microsoft is set to permanently disable Publisher 365 for Microsoft 365 subscribers on October 13, 2026, not just end support, with a hard “kill switch” that will block opening or editing .pub files after that date. This aggressive move means the desktop publishing tool will stop functioning entirely for subscription users, a major shift from previous years when end-of-support simply meant no updates. Users still relying on Publisher should prepare now.
Microsoft says Publisher in Microsoft 365 will completely STOP WORKING on 13 October 2026 or about 5 months from today
Microsoft doesn’t call it a kill switch, of course. Instead they say;
“If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you will no longer be able to open or edit your Publisher files using Microsoft Publisher”
That’s just a long-winded way of saying “kill switch”.
Not even everyone at Microsoft has got this message. Some Redmond announcements only say that “Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported as part of Microsoft 365”. Ending ‘support’ is very different from completely disabling the software.
It’s an unusually aggressive move. It seems they have a different policy for subscription software. In the past Microsoft has just let old software keep working. Plenty of people keep using Microsoft apps long after the company has dropped them.
But Microsoft 365 is different because it’s software or service rental, not a purchase. Microsoft’s legalistic view is that people are ‘subscribing’ or renting a bundle of services that the company can (and does) change at any time.
Publisher 2021, 2019 or 2016 are OK
Anyone relying on Publisher should consider getting a version of Office 2021 or Office 2019 which includes Publisher, or Office 2016. See Microsoft Publisher is ending – what you need to know for details.
See Which Microsoft Office (Including Publisher) Can You Still Buy in 2026?
Unlike the 365 version, the perpetual licence releases will continue to work with no ‘kill switch’.
“If you have the Perpetual version of Publisher, you will still be able to access and edit your files.”
Wish list for Publisher 365
We can only hope that Microsoft changes this hardline approach to something more accommodating. The company should consider that their .pub files aren’t easily converted to other formats.
- Allowing Publisher 365 to continue working with a warning that the software is no longer supported, updated nor can it be reinstalled.
- Change Publisher 365 to the existing ‘Reduced Functionality Mode’ so .pub files can at least be viewed.
- Ideally, also allow export to other formats.
- OR add a Word filter to import .pub files. At least then Microsoft 365 customers will be able to access Publisher’s .pub files using supported software.
