Microsoft 365 Apps version 2611 removes Publisher from November

Microsoft 365 Apps version 2611 removes Publisher from November

21 October 2026: Microsoft has updated its notice on Publisher's retirement with the build that physically removes it: Microsoft 365 Apps version 2611 (build 16.0.20625.xxxxx), arriving on Current Channel from mid-November 2026 and on Monthly Enterprise Channel from early December. Subscribers formally lost Publisher on 1 October; until the removal update reaches a device the app may still open, which Microsoft says is a temporary window, not an extension or continued support.

Not yet independently verified. Microsoft's message centre notice is published to tenant administrators; we read it through a public mirror, and Microsoft's public support page carries no publication date. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

Three dates, three groups of users

• 1 October 2026: Publisher is no longer part of Microsoft 365 subscriptions; subscribers cannot open or edit .pub files in it, install it or download it.
• 13 October 2026: support ended for the perpetual versions with Office LTSC 2021 and Consumer Office 2021. Those copies stay installed and keep opening and editing files, without security fixes.
• Mid-November and early December 2026: version 2611 removes Publisher from Microsoft 365 Apps on Current Channel and then Monthly Enterprise Channel.

Converting the files before the build arrives

Microsoft's advice splits files by what they are for. Anything that only needs to be viewed, shared or printed can be saved as PDF from Publisher. Anything that must stay editable should move to Word or PowerPoint, or to Microsoft Create templates, with the warning that converting through PDF into Word can change the layout of graphics-heavy documents. For volume, Microsoft offers a sample PowerShell script, Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1, that exports every .pub file in a folder and its subfolders, keeps going after errors, reports which files failed, and never overwrites existing output. It needs a licensed copy of Publisher on the machine running it, which is the practical reason to run it before version 2611 lands.

Where the work actually is

The files are the easy part to find: Microsoft suggests searching local drives, OneDrive and SharePoint for .pub. The harder part is processes built on Publisher, such as newsletters, price lists, forms and signage templates produced the same way every month, which need a new owner and a new tool before the next issue is due. A machine kept on Office LTSC 2021 can still open the files after the removal, which some organisations will use as a conversion station, accepting that it no longer gets security updates. Our publishing software category lists 15 products, most of them aimed at publishers rather than office design work.

Related on TrustList:

• Microsoft 365 Copilot adds two third-party AI models from 30 September 2026: each needs a subprocessor switched on, and usage limits apply

Sources

• Microsoft 365 message centre MC1469564: Microsoft Publisher, reminder that support ends in October 2026 (via mc.merill.net, updated 21 October), 21 October 2026
• Microsoft Support: Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026 (read 2026-10-21), 21 October 2026