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Open a Publisher .pub file free, no Publisher needed

Microsoft retired Publisher in October 2026. Drop your .pub file here to get the text and pictures back, then save them as a Word document, PDF, text file or zip of pictures. It all happens on your device. To edit the file with its layout, open it in Altto Layout, our free Publisher alternative.

Bulk conversion: a whole folder of .pub files at once

Choose dozens or hundreds of Publisher files, or a whole folder, and get every one back as PDF and Word in a single ZIP, with your folder structure kept. Like everything on Altto, it runs on your device: nothing is uploaded.

Bulk conversion is part of Altto Pro. Converting one file at a time, above, stays free forever.

Altto Pro is coming soon: £3.99 a month, or a one-off £9.99 Archive rescue pass for clearing out an old archive. See what’s included.

What this does, and what it doesn’t

It recovers the words, in order, and the JPEG and PNG pictures stored in the file. It does not keep the page layout, columns, fonts, colours, tables or text effects, and it can’t read password-protected files. For an exact copy of the design, the file needs a still-installed copy of Publisher (which can export to PDF) or a desktop-publishing app.

How to open a .pub file without Publisher

  1. Choose your .pub file above. It is read on your own device, so private documents stay private.
  2. Check the text that appears, and fix anything you like in the box.
  3. Save it as Word, PDF or plain text, and download any pictures as a zip.
  4. Rebuild the layout in Word, Canva or another design app, using the recovered words and pictures.

Why you can’t open .pub files any more

Publisher was the Microsoft desktop-publishing app used for newsletters, flyers, price lists and club leaflets. Microsoft has retired it, and Microsoft 365 apps can no longer open its .pub files. Many schools, clubs, charities and small businesses still hold years of .pub documents, and nothing else on a normal computer opens them.

If you still have a computer with Publisher installed, the safest move is to export your important files to PDF now (File, Export, Create PDF/XPS), before that computer is replaced. A PDF keeps the exact layout, and Altto’s PDF to Word converter can then turn it into an editable document.

Common questions

Can I open a .pub file without Microsoft Publisher?

Yes, for the words and pictures. Altto reads the .pub file in your browser and pulls out the text and the pictures, which you can save as a Word document, a PDF, a text file or a zip of pictures. It does not rebuild the exact page layout, because that needs Publisher or a desktop-publishing app.

Can I convert lots of .pub files at once?

Yes, free. Bulk conversion takes many .pub files or a whole folder and gives you every one as PDF and Word in a single ZIP, still on your own device.

Is my file uploaded anywhere?

No. The file is opened and read inside your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server, so confidential newsletters, price lists or club documents stay private.

Will it keep my fonts, columns and layout?

No, and we would rather say so plainly. A .pub file stores exact positions, fonts, colours and effects in a format only Publisher fully understands. Altto recovers the words in order and the pictures it can decode (JPEG and PNG). Use the result as a starting point to rebuild the page in Word, Canva or another design app.

Why can't Microsoft 365 open my .pub files any more?

Microsoft retired Publisher in October 2026, and Microsoft 365 apps no longer include it or open .pub files. If an old copy of Publisher is still installed on a computer, it can still export to PDF, so export your important files before that computer is replaced.

What if no text is found?

Some files, such as very old Publisher versions, password-protected files or damaged files, store their content in ways this tool cannot read. If you have a copy of Publisher on another computer, use File, then Export, then PDF there. A PDF of the file can be edited with Altto's PDF to Word converter.

See also: .pub to Word, .pub to JPG or PNG, Publisher alternatives, .pub on a Mac, .pub on Windows 11, .pub on iPhone, iPad and Android, Publisher retired: your options, which app opens which file, PDF to Word, Word to PDF and all guides.

Microsoft and Publisher are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Altto is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.