Microsoft Publisher alternatives in 2026
With Publisher removed from Microsoft 365 and Publisher 2021 out of support, here is what to use for each kind of document, and how to carry your old files over.
| Need | Use | Opens .pub directly? |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletters, flyers, certificates, labels, envelopes | Microsoft Word (Microsoft's own recommendation) | No, convert to DOCX |
| Posters, signs, banners, one-page layouts | PowerPoint, or Canva | No, convert to PDF/PNG |
| Brochures and print work with bleed and CMYK | Affinity Publisher (one-time purchase) or Scribus (free) | Scribus imports .pub; Affinity does not |
| Just opening and exporting old files | LibreOffice Draw (free) | Yes |
| Quick social graphics | Canva, Microsoft Designer | No |
Migrating the files you already have
Convert them once, then move on. PDF keeps a faithful copy of every issue; Word gives you something to keep editing.
Loading the converter… (JavaScript required)
What converts well, and what doesn't
| Content | Word (.docx) | |
|---|---|---|
| Text boxes, headings, columns | Exact | Good, positions may shift |
| Pictures, logos, clip art | Exact | Kept as images |
| Tables | Exact | Usually recognised as tables |
| Shapes, borders, backgrounds | Exact | Converted to images or dropped |
| WordArt and text effects | Often missing | Missing |
| Master pages, page numbers | Mostly kept | Partly |
That is why every file shows a preview first. If the preview is wrong, don't pay: write to us and we will try it by hand, or use the free offline methods.
Related
FAQ
Which alternative can open my existing .pub files?
Only LibreOffice Draw and Scribus import .pub files directly. For Word, PowerPoint, Canva or Affinity, convert the file to PDF or DOCX first.
What does Microsoft recommend?
Word for newsletters, flyers, labels, certificates and brochures; PowerPoint for posters, signs and banners; templates from Microsoft Create.