# Microsoft Publisher retirement: end-of-support dates by version

By Rotomal team · Updated 2026-10-29 · Part of [Pub Rescue](https://rotomal.com/pub-rescue/)

**Short answer:** Microsoft 365 subscribers lost Publisher on or shortly after 1 October 2026. Support for the perpetual Publisher 2021 and Publisher LTSC 2021 ended on 13 October 2026, and support for Publisher 2016 and 2019 had already ended on 14 October 2025. Office LTSC 2024 does not include Publisher. Perpetual copies still install and open files after support ends; Microsoft 365 subscribers can no longer install Publisher or open .pub files in it.

## Publisher end-of-support dates

All dates from Microsoft's own pages, listed in the sources below.

| Edition | What happened | Date |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Publisher in Microsoft 365 (subscription) | Removed: no install or download, cannot open or edit .pub files in Publisher | On or shortly after 1 October 2026 |
| Publisher 2021 (retail, Modern Lifecycle Policy) | Retired | 13 October 2026 |
| Publisher LTSC 2021 (volume licence) | End of support | 13 October 2026 |
| Publisher 2019 | End of support | 14 October 2025 |
| Publisher 2016 | End of support | 14 October 2025 |
| Office LTSC 2024 | Publisher not included | Since release |

## Why sources disagree: 1 October or 13 October?

Both dates are right, for different products. 1 October 2026 is when Microsoft 365 subscribers started losing Publisher (Microsoft says on or shortly after that day). 13 October 2026 is when support ended for the last perpetual versions, Publisher 2021 and Publisher LTSC 2021, together with the rest of Office 2021 and Office LTSC 2021.

Microsoft's individual product pages show the cut-off as a timestamp in Pacific Time, for example 10/14/2026 6:59:59 AM for Publisher 2021, while its end-of-support list and the Publisher article give the date as 13 October 2026.

## What end of support means

- No new security updates, non-security updates or assisted support from Microsoft.
- Perpetual copies keep working: Microsoft says you can still install and use the app and open and edit your files.
- Microsoft 365 is different: subscribers lose the app itself, not only the updates.
- Your .pub files are not deleted; what you lose is the program that opens them.

## Does Publisher still work on my PC?

- Microsoft 365 subscription: no. Publisher is no longer available to install, and subscribers can no longer open or edit .pub files in it.
- Publisher 2021 or Office 2021 bought once: yes, it still runs and opens files, without updates since 13 October 2026.
- Publisher 2016 or 2019: yes, it still runs, without updates since 14 October 2025.
- Office LTSC 2024: Publisher was never included.

## What to do with your files now

Microsoft's advice is to convert .pub files to PDF or Word. With Publisher available, use File > Save as > PDF, or Microsoft's free PowerShell script for a folder. Without Publisher, LibreOffice Draw opens many files and exports PDF, with layout differences to check.

For a large archive, Pub Rescue converts every file on licensed Publisher installations to a print-ready PDF and an editable Word document, from $9 per archive, paid once.

## FAQ

### Does Publisher 2021 still work?

Yes. It still installs, runs and opens files. Microsoft support ended on 13 October 2026, so it gets no more security or other updates.

### When was Publisher removed from Microsoft 365?

On or shortly after 1 October 2026, in Microsoft's words. Since then subscribers cannot install or download it and cannot open or edit .pub files in Publisher.

### Is Publisher included in Office LTSC 2024?

No. Microsoft's deployment overview says Publisher is not included with Office LTSC 2024 because of the planned retirement.

### Will my .pub files be deleted?

Microsoft talks about losing the ability to open or edit them in Publisher, not about deleting them. The files stay wherever they are stored, and you can still convert them.

### What does Microsoft recommend instead of Publisher?

Word or PowerPoint for most uses. Microsoft also says some third-party programs, such as Affinity, may be able to import native Publisher files.

## Sources

- Microsoft Support: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Ending support in 2026 (Publisher 2021, Publisher LTSC 2021) https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/end-of-support/end-of-support-2026
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Ending support in 2025 (Publisher 2016, Publisher 2019) https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/end-of-support/end-of-support-2025
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Publisher 2021 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/publisher-2021
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Office LTSC 2021 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/office-ltsc-2021
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Publisher 2019 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/publisher-2019
- Microsoft Lifecycle: Publisher 2016 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/publisher-2016
- Microsoft Learn: Overview of Office LTSC 2024 https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/ltsc/2024/overview

[Pub Rescue](https://rotomal.com/pub-rescue/) does this for you. Request it free, no card: https://rotomal.com/pub-rescue/request/
---
Rotomal · https://rotomal.com/pub-rescue/publisher-end-of-support-dates/ · hello@rotomal.com