Guide

Open a .pub file without Publisher

Microsoft removed Publisher from Microsoft 365 in October 2026, but your .pub files are still on your computer. BrochureBoss opens them in your browser as layouts you can edit, then saves your work in a file you keep.

Try a sample, no account Open BrochureBoss

Free during the beta. A free account is needed to import your own files. Dates from Microsoft.

Three steps

  1. Find your files. Search your computer, OneDrive or SharePoint for .pub and gather the ones you still use in one folder.
  2. Import one. Open BrochureBoss, make a free account, choose Import .pub and pick the file. It converts on our server in a few seconds and opens in the editor.
  3. Check it and keep it. Read the list of anything that didn’t come across, fix what you need, then save it to your library or download it as a .bboss file.

Straight talk: the import is an editable approximation, not a pixel-perfect copy. Text, pictures, colors and positions come across well. WordArt, some spacing and vector clip art don’t, fonts you don’t have are swapped for close matches, and the app lists everything it skipped.

If you still have Publisher somewhere

Boxed copies (Publisher 2021 and earlier) still run, they just don’t get updates. If you or someone in your office still has one, save a PDF of each important file now. It’s the best way to check an import against the original.

What happens to the file

Your .pub travels over an encrypted connection, gets converted, and the original is deleted as soon as conversion finishes. The document is stored only if you save it. Privacy details.

Questions

  • Can I open a .pub file without Microsoft Publisher?

    Yes. BrochureBoss opens .pub files in your web browser and turns them into editable layouts. It’s free during the beta.

  • Will it look exactly like it did in Publisher?

    Close, not exact. Text, pictures, colors and positions come across well. WordArt, some spacing and vector clip art don’t, and the app tells you what it skipped.

  • Do I need to install anything?

    No. It runs in a modern browser on Windows, Mac or a Chromebook. A downloadable desktop app is planned for early 2027.

  • Is my file kept on your server?

    The original .pub is deleted as soon as the conversion finishes. The converted document is stored only if you save it to your library.