Moving from Publisher
A Microsoft Publisher alternative for Windows~/publisher-alternative
Microsoft is retiring Publisher. It is no longer supported after October 2026 and is being taken out of Microsoft 365, so the flyers, newsletters and forms you made in it need a new home. PubStudio is a desktop publishing app for Windows 10 and 11 that opens your .pub files, keeps the layout you know, and lets you carry on where you left off.
What carries over
Your .pub files
PubStudio opens publications from Publisher 98 through Microsoft 365, with their text, pictures, shapes, tables, master pages and page sizes. Your original file is never changed: your work is saved as a PubStudio copy next to it.
The way you work
The same kind of ribbon, with Home, Insert, Design, Mail Merge, Review and View tabs, a pages pane down the side, rulers, guides and a work area around the page. Alt Q finds any command by name.
Printing
Print with a live preview: booklets in folding order, Avery label sheets, folded cards, posters across several sheets, several copies to a sheet, both sides, and crop marks.
PDF and other files
Save PDFs with real, searchable text, and with Pro, press-ready PDFs with bleed, plus Word, pictures, web pages and more.
Mail merge and catalogs
Merge letters, labels and envelopes from Excel, CSV, Access or Outlook contacts, send merged copies by email, and build catalog pages from a list (Pro).
Templates
Over 100 templates for flyers, newsletters, brochures, cards, calendars, menus, certificates, labels and more, with colour and font schemes.
Questions
Will Publisher stop working after October 2026?
Microsoft says Publisher is no longer supported after October 2026 and is being removed from Microsoft 365. A copy you already have may keep opening for a while, but it gets no more fixes or security updates. PubStudio keeps your files usable either way.
Is PubStudio free?
Yes. You can download it, open, edit, print and save anything for free. Pro adds clean PDFs, the other export formats, mail and catalog merge and every template, for $10 a month, $89 a year, or $149 once. See pricing.
Can I save back to .pub?
No. Keep working in PubStudio's own format, and share with others as PDF, which anyone can open.
Do I need an account or the internet?
No. PubStudio installs on your PC and works offline, with no sign-in.
Does it run on a Mac?
Not yet. PubStudio runs on Windows 10 and 11.
More help is on the support page.