Microsoft Publisher reaches end of life on 13 October 2026. After that date there are no security fixes for any version, and Publisher in Microsoft 365 stops working altogether. If you want a copy of Publisher that keeps running, you need a one time purchase Office bundle that includes it, and the version you pick matters. Here is how to choose between Office 2021, Office 2019 and Office 2016, and which one we recommend.
There are many ways to buy older versions of Office, see Ultra-cheap Microsoft Office deals, are they legal and work? But first, let’s work through the options to decide which Office version to keep Publisher working after October 2026.
Check the Office bundle
Not all Office bundles include Publisher; cheaper bundles such as Home & Student or Home & Business do not.
Check that what you’re buying includes Publisher. Most likely, it’ll be called “Professional” or “Professional Plus”.
Check .pub file compatibility
Not all .pub files are the same. Over the years, Microsoft changed the .pub file format to support newer features.
The main change came with Publisher 2013. Files ending in .pub and made with Publisher 2013 or later use the same format. Earlier versions of Publisher might have trouble opening .pub files made with a later version.
It’s best to get the most recent version of Publisher, in Office 2021 or 2019, to ensure compatibility with any .pub file you throw at it.
Definitely do not buy anything earlier than Publisher 2013 because those versions might have trouble opening some .pub files.
Feature differences
Microsoft hasn’t done much, if any, work on Publisher for many years. Aside from some under-the-hood tweaks, the features haven’t changed for some time.
There’s no functional difference between Publisher in Office 2021, Office 2019, and even Office 2016.
Publisher 2016 is compatible with some older Windows like Windows 7 and 8.1 that Office 2019 and later are not. But there are no feature changes.
Windows compatibility
Older software will eventually stop working with Windows, or it may not work reliably. That matters for software you want to keep for years.
Here, we mean that the older software runs properly on modern Windows. The app might not be supported with security or bug fixes, but it does what it’s asked.
At the moment, Office 2016 and later work with Windows 10 or Windows 11. Office 2016 stopped getting security fixes on 14 October 2025, so it runs but is not patched.
Anything earlier, such as Office 2013, should generally work OK, but there may be problems.
For Publisher, we’re looking for software that will work with any future version of Windows.
For that reason alone, it’s better to have a more recent version of Publisher/Office.
Virtual machine option
You can bypass a lot of the compatibility and install hassles by installing Publisher or Office in a separate Windows virtual machine.
That keeps Publisher separate from your main, physical computer, with no conflicts or concerns about future Windows compatibility. It also avoids the real problem of a later Office or Microsoft 365 installation removing the earlier Publisher software.
Setting up your first virtual machine isn’t hard, and it’s well worth doing to create a stable and reliable Publisher setup that will work for many years to come.
Our ebooks have chapters with step-by-step instructions on making your first virtual machine and installing Office on it. Windows 11 for Microsoft Office users – 2026 edition or Windows 10 for Microsoft Office users.
Which Publisher version to choose
The last standalone version of Publisher sold was Publisher 2019. It’s very hard, if not impossible, to find. The only practical choice is to get a Microsoft Office bundle and possibly do a special installation of Publisher only.
From a Publisher-only point of view, either Office 2021 or Office 2019 is acceptable.
Office 2021 Professional or Professional Plus is still the better target. Office 2021 gets security patches until 13 October 2026, which is the same day Publisher itself reaches end of life. The bigger reason to prefer Office 2021 is not patches, it is that Publisher 2021 is the newest build you can get and the one most likely to keep running on future Windows releases.
On the other hand, Office 2019 Professional or Professional Plus is usually a little cheaper than Office 2021 and generally more available. Office 2019 lost support on 14 October 2025 and gets nothing at all.
If you have an older machine or virtual machine with Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, then Publisher 2016 is the best choice.
Office 2024 does not include Publisher in any edition, and installing Office 2024 over an existing Office 2021 or 2019 will likely delete Publisher along with everything else.
Ultra-cheap Microsoft Office deals, are they legal and work?
Which Microsoft Office (Including Publisher) Can You Still Buy in 2026?
Microsoft Publisher Ends in October 2026: Key Dates, Alternatives and How to Keep .pub Files
Beware the Publisher 365 Kill Switch Deadline
Office 2021 Support Ends in October: All Five Options Before the Deadline
Microsoft Office Support End Dates Checklist
Publisher to Word Conversion Tested: Microsoft’s Method in the Real World
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Complain About the End of Publisher: Make Your Case to Microsoft
