What am I supposed to do with the thousands of Publisher files that I use all the time?

Question

What am I supposed to do with the thousands of Publisher files that I use all the time?

nalani stewart 25

Please do not do away with Publisher. And if you must, please allow us to access, use and change our existing files. I have thousands of files and I have to be able to access old files on a regular basis. You have no idea what a nightmare you are causing me. Word cannot do even a small portion of what I do. And even if Designer could do all that I need, the conversion of all those files will take more time than I will ever have.

If you must do this you need to make a conversion program..

I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am with Microsoft for this action.

Margaret Williams 5 Reputation points

2025-12-16T23:45:22.24+00:00

I too am sick about this devastating decision to discontinue MicroSoft Publisher; I have used this program since its creation and have loved it. I have thousands of documents, published histories, maps, etc --too many to "convert" as is suggested. My maps are very detailed and are "active" documents, needing updates monthly! Making a PDF of all my documents, as the MS company suggests as a solutions is ridiculous and impossible! I need live access to so many of my documents that a PDF in out of the question. Please reconsider your decision!!

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Margaret Williams 5 Reputation points

2025-12-16T23:45:22.24+00:00

I too am sick about this devastating decision to discontinue MicroSoft Publisher; I have used this program since its creation and have loved it. I have thousands of documents, published histories, maps, etc --too many to "convert" as is suggested. My maps are very detailed and are "active" documents, needing updates monthly! Making a PDF of all my documents, as the MS company suggests as a solutions is ridiculous and impossible! I need live access to so many of my documents that a PDF in out of the question. Please reconsider your decision!!

Answer 1

WordWizzard 975

If you have the desktop version of Publisher, it won't go away. You can continue to use it. But you just won't get any more updates after its service life ends.

Andrés Lobpreis 0 Reputation points

2025-12-30T17:21:30.28+00:00

I wouldn't be so sure.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7

Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.
WordWizzard 975 Reputation points

2025-12-31T02:44:04.1333333+00:00

I should have been more clearer...

If you have a non-365 desktop version of Publisher that has a perpetual license (e.g., Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2021), it won't be deleted from you system. You can continue to use it. It just won't get any more updates. If you have the 365 version of Publisher, then you'll will no longer be able to open or edit the Publisher files after support ends.

You can supposedly import and edit your Publisher files for free using Affinity Publisher, if you first convert them to PDF. See https://www.affinity.studio/

You may get better results, however, if you convert the Publisher files directly to Affinity using https://markzware.com/markzportal/converting-microsoft-publisher-to-affinity-publisher/
Arderne Gillies 0 Reputation points

2026-01-08T17:05:43.85+00:00

Dear Microsoft - please confirm whether this is true.
JEANNE BRIDGES 0 Reputation points

2026-04-08T17:48:27.9066667+00:00

I have been buying 365 from Microsoft annually for several years. Will that continue. Also, as the others have said, I don't think I could have had my art career without Publisher! It is a wonderful and very functional program.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're facing a significant challenge with the potential changes to Microsoft Publisher and the management of your existing files. Currently, there is no specific mention in the provided context about the future of Microsoft Publisher or any plans for a conversion program. However, it is noted that large Publisher files (over 50 MB) open in read-only mode in SharePoint, which means you would need to save them locally for editing. Additionally, it is important to be cautious with files from untrusted sources due to vulnerabilities that could be exploited when opening specially crafted Publisher files.

If you are concerned about accessing and modifying your existing Publisher files, it may be beneficial to regularly back them up and consider alternative methods for managing them, such as saving them locally or using different software that can handle Publisher files effectively.

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What am I supposed to do with the thousands of Publisher files that I use all the time?

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