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Susan Rivers 0 Reputation points
2026-04-09T03:57:57.1066667+00:00

I bought Publisher as a stand alone program when I purchased my laptop 10/26/2023. I don't need "support", just need to be able to use it after October 2026. Word is not any good to me for publishing a monthly newsletter. I would go back to WordPerfect if that were an option!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Publisher | For home

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  1. Julie Huynh 740 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-04-09T12:57:23.04+00:00

    Dear @Susan Rivers,

    Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

    Based on your description, I understand that you purchased Microsoft Publisher as a standalone program when you bought your laptop in October 2023, and you need the ability to continue using Publisher beyond October 2026. You’ve explained that Word doesn’t meet your needs for producing a monthly newsletter, and you’re looking for an option that allows you to keep using Publisher.To clarify, Microsoft Publisher will be removed only from Microsoft 365 subscriptions after October 2026. This means that subscribers will no longer be able to install or use Publisher through Microsoft 365 after that date. However, your existing files will not be deleted or harmed by this change.

    If you currently use a perpetual (one‑time purchase) version of Publisher, such as Publisher 2019 or 2021 included with Office Professional, you will still be able to open and use Publisher on the same computer after October 2026. The application will continue to function, although it will no longer receive updates or official support from Microsoft.

    I hope this information helps clarify what to expect and what options are available.

    Thank you for your kindness and understanding!

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

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  2. Q&A Assist
    2026-04-09T03:58:10.9066667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    Publisher purchased as a standalone (perpetual) product can continue to be installed and used after October 2026, but it will no longer be supported.

    Key points for this scenario:

    1. Publisher end of life
      • In October 2026, Microsoft Publisher reaches end of life.
      • After that, it is no longer included in Microsoft 365, and existing on‑premises suites are no longer supported.
    2. Perpetual (standalone) Publisher
      • If Publisher was bought as a perpetual/standalone product (not as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription), it can still be installed and used beyond October 2026 even though support ends.
      • Support for the perpetual version ends on October 1, 2026, when Office LTSC 2021 reaches end of support, but the app itself does not stop working.
    3. Microsoft 365 subscription Publisher
      • This restriction mainly affects Microsoft 365 subscribers: after October 2026, Publisher will no longer be available for installation or download, and Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.
    4. Preparing for the future
      • Even if continuing to use the standalone Publisher, it is recommended to convert important .pub files to other formats (for example, PDF for viewing, or via PDF→Word for editing) so they remain accessible if Publisher becomes unavailable on future devices.

    References:

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