# Microsoft Publisher
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{{Short description|Desktop publishing software}}
{{Redirect|.pub|the top-level domain introduced in 2014|list of Internet top-level domains#ICANN-era generic top-level domains|the file extension used in public key storage|Public-key cryptography}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Microsoft Publisher
| logo = Microsoft Office Publisher (2019-present).svg
| screenshot = Microsoft Publisher screenshot.png
| caption = Microsoft Publisher 2021 running on [Windows 10](/source/Windows_10)
| author =
| developer = [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft)
| released = {{Start date and age|1991}}
| ver layout = stacked
| latest release version = {{Latest stable software release/Microsoft Office}}
| programming language =
| operating system = [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows)
| platform =
| size =
| language =
| genre = [Desktop publishing software](/source/Desktop_publishing_software)
| license = [Trialware](/source/Trialware)
}}
'''Microsoft Publisher''' is a soon to be retired[{{cite news |title=Publisher to be retired in 2026 |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/publisher}}] [desktop publishing](/source/desktop_publishing) application from [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft), differing from [Microsoft Word](/source/Microsoft_Word) in that the emphasis is placed on [page layout](/source/page_layout) and [graphic design](/source/graphic_design) rather than text composition and [proofreading](/source/proofreading). Its discontinuation is planned for October 2026.[{{Cite web |title=Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 - Microsoft Support |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7 |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=support.microsoft.com}}]
==Overview==
Publisher is included in higher-end editions of [Microsoft Office](/source/Microsoft_Office), reflecting Microsoft's emphasis on the application as an easy-to-use and less expensive alternative to the "heavyweights" with a focus on the small-business market, where firms do not have dedicated design professionals available to make marketing materials and other documents.[{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/software_and_services/microsoft/office_publisher_07/221175?pf=1 |title=Office Publisher 07 |magazine=[PC World](/source/PC_World) Australia|publisher=[IDG](/source/International_Data_Group) |access-date=2012-02-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728230637/http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/software_and_services/microsoft/office_publisher_07/221175?pf=1 |archive-date=2012-07-28 }}.] However, it has a relatively small share of the desktop publishing market, which is dominated by [Adobe InDesign](/source/Adobe_InDesign) and formerly by [QuarkXPress](/source/QuarkXPress).[{{cite web|url=http://webserver.computoredge.com/editorial/2530/coverprint.htm |title=Desktop Publishing Software 2007 Style |publisher=Computor edge |date=2007-07-27 |access-date=2012-02-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902044812/http://webserver.computoredge.com/editorial/2530/coverprint.htm |archive-date=2011-09-02 }}]
While most Microsoft Office apps adopted [ribbons](/source/ribbon_(computing)) for their user interface starting with [Microsoft Office 2007](/source/Microsoft_Office_2007), Publisher retained its [toolbar](/source/toolbar)s and did not acquire ribbons until [Microsoft Office 2010](/source/Microsoft_Office_2010).[{{cite web |url=https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee523661%28v=office.14%29.aspx |title=User interface differences in Office 2010 vs earlier versions |publisher=[Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) |work=[TechNet](/source/Microsoft_TechNet) |access-date=April 22, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412134507/https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee523661(v=office.14).aspx |archive-date=April 12, 2016 }}]
===Shutdown===
On February 15, 2024, Microsoft announced that Publisher will be discontinued on October 13, 2026.[{{Cite web |last=GitHub-Name |title=Publisher LTSC 2021 - Microsoft Lifecycle |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/publisher-ltsc-2021 |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=learn.microsoft.com |language=en-us}}][{{cite web |url=https://admin.microsoft.com/AdminPortal/home?ref=MessageCenter/:/messages/MC716267 |url-access=registration |date=2024-02-15 |title=Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 |accessdate=2024-02-15 |website=Message center - Microsoft admin center}} {{Cite web |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026-ee6302a2-4bc7-4841-babf-8e9be3acbfd7 |title=Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 |website=Microsoft Support |accessdate=2024-11-06}}] On the specified date, Publisher will no longer be included in [Microsoft 365](/source/Microsoft_365) plans, and existing on-premises installations will no longer be supported. This date will mark the end of Publisher as a standalone Microsoft program since its initial release in 1991.
==Compatibility==
Several applications can import Publisher's [proprietary file format](/source/Proprietary_format) (.pub) for editing with some success, including [Collabora Online](/source/Collabora_Online),[{{cite web|website=
Collabora Office|url=https://www.collaboraoffice.com/collabora-office-6-0/|title=
Collabora Office 6.0|date=June 13, 2018 |access-date=2024-04-03}}] [LibreOffice](/source/LibreOffice),[{{cite web |url=https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/4.0 |title=LibreOffice 4.0: Release Notes – the Document Foundation Wiki |access-date=2017-04-09 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518033343/https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/ReleaseNotes/4.0 |archive-date=2017-05-18 }}] and [Scribus](/source/Scribus).[{{cite web | url=https://librearts.org/2013/04/scribus-gets-basic-support-for-microsoft-publisher-documents/ | title=Scribus gets basic support for Microsoft Publisher documents | publisher=Libre Arts | date=16 Apr 2013 | accessdate=3 April 2024 | author=Prokoudine Alexandre}}] Another option is to save the document as a separate EPS file for each individual page in the publication, and to then open the EPS files in the aforementioned applications or other applications.[{{cite web|website=LifeWire|url=https://www.lifewire.com/open-pub-files-without-microsoft-publisher-1074669#:~:text=Save%20the%20Publisher%20Document%20as%20an%20EPS%20File&text=To%20create%20an%20EPS%20file,time%2C%20select%20Print%20to%20file.|title=Opening PUB Files Without Microsoft Publisher|access-date=2024-04-02}}]
Publisher supports some other file formats, including Microsoft's [Enhanced Metafile](/source/Enhanced_Metafile) (EMF) format, which is supported on Windows platforms. The Microsoft Publisher [trial version](/source/trial_version) can be used to view .pub files beyond the trial period.[{{cite web | url=http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/HA102339061033.aspx | title=Where is the Publisher viewer? | publisher=Microsoft | access-date=November 7, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316160043/http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/publisher/HA102339061033.aspx | archive-date=March 16, 2010 }}][{{cite web | url=https://support.office.com/en-us/article/where-is-the-publisher-viewer-a5a05230-654f-420e-8aa3-3b50f645c359 | title=Where is the Publisher viewer? | publisher=Microsoft | access-date=March 9, 2020 }}]
[Aldus (later Adobe) PageMaker](/source/Aldus_PageMaker) also saved files with a .pub extension, but the two file formats were unrelated and incompatible.
==Release history==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Version number
! Release date[{{cite web|url=http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/search/default.aspx?sort=PN&alpha=Publisher&Filter=FilterNO|publisher=Microsoft|title=Publisher Life-cycle|access-date=2011-10-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926101353/http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/search/default.aspx?sort=PN&alpha=publisher&Filter=FilterNO|archive-date=2011-09-26}}]
! Editions of Microsoft Office included in
|-
|Microsoft Publisher
| 1.0
| Late 1991 (approx.)
|{{N/A}}
|-
|Microsoft Publisher
| 2.0
| Jul 12, 1993
|{{N/A}}
|-
| Publisher for [Windows 95](/source/Windows_95) (beginning to transition to 32-bit)
| 3.0
| Aug 24, 1995
|{{N/A}}
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 97
| 4.0
| Oct 21, 1996
| Small Business Edition
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 98 (first fully 32-bit)
| 5.0
| Mar 23, 1998
| Small Business Edition 2.0
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2000
| 6.0
| Jun 7, 1999
| Small Business Edition, Professional, Premium, Developer
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2002
| 10.0{{Efn|Starting with Publisher 2002, the version number jumps to 10.0 to tally [Microsoft Office](/source/Microsoft_Office) versions.}}
| May 31, 2001
| Professional OEM, Professional Special Edition
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2003
| 11.0
| Oct 21, 2003
| Small Business, Professional, Professional Plus, Enterprise
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2007
| 12.0
| Jan 30, 2007
| Small Business, Professional, Ultimate, Professional Plus, Enterprise
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2010
| 14.0{{Efn|Version 13 was skipped due to [the superstition attached to the number 13](/source/Triskaidekaphobia).[{{cite web|url=http://www.winsupersite.com/office/office2010_faq.asp |title=Office 2010 FAQ |author=Paul Thurrott |date=2009-05-14 |access-date=2009-12-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419113856/http://www.winsupersite.com/office/office2010_faq.asp |archive-date=2009-04-19 }}]}}
| Jun 15, 2010
| Standard, Professional, Professional Plus
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2013
| 15.0
| Jan 29, 2013
| rowspan=3 | Professional, Professional Plus, Standard (volume licensing), all Office 365 / Microsoft 365 Apps editions
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2016
| rowspan=3 | 16.0
| Sep 22, 2015
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2019
| Sep 24, 2018
|-
| Microsoft Publisher 2021
| October 5, 2021
| Microsoft 365 Apps for business and Business Standard editions[{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/get-started-with-office-2021 |title=See what's in Office 2021|website=[Microsoft](/source/Microsoft) |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330103316/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/get-started-with-office-2021 |archivedate=2023-03-30}}]
|-
|}{{Notelist}}
== See also==
* [Comparison of desktop publishing software](/source/Comparison_of_desktop_publishing_software)
* [List of desktop publishing software](/source/List_of_desktop_publishing_software)
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
* [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/microsoft_office_publisher/ Microsoft Publisher blog] (last updated December 2009) on [MSDN Blogs](/source/MSDN_Blogs)
{{Desktop publishing software}}
{{Microsoft Office}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Desktop publishing software
Publisher
Category:Products introduced in 1991
Category:Products and services discontinued in 2026
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Microsoft Publisher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Publisher) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Publisher?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.