Guide
How to open a .pub file without Publisher
A .pub file is a document made with Microsoft Publisher: a newsletter, a flyer, a certificate, a menu. Without Publisher, your computer usually has nothing that can open it. You can still get at what’s inside, for free, in a couple of minutes.
The quick way: turn it into a PDF
A PDF opens on every computer and phone, prints well and keeps the layout. That makes it the easiest way to see and share what’s in a .pub file.
- Open the PubToPDF converter in your web browser. There’s nothing to install.
- Drop your .pub file on the page, or press “Choose files” and find it. You’ll see a small preview straight away.
- Wait a second or two while it converts. This happens on your own computer.
- Press “Download PDF”. Open it in any PDF reader, print it, or send it on.
You can do up to 20 files at once for free. They come back together in one ZIP file if you like.
Why a normal PDF reader or Word can’t open it
Publisher saves its pages in its own format. Word, Google Docs, Pages and PDF readers don’t understand it, and Microsoft has stopped making Publisher, so the usual answer of “open it in Publisher and save as PDF” no longer works for most people. You need a tool that reads the .pub format itself.
Your choices
- PubToPDF (this site)Works in the browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and Linux. Free for PDF and pictures. Your file stays on your computer. Word files with a one-time licence.
- LibreOfficeA free office suite you install on Windows, Mac or Linux. It opens .pub files in its drawing program. Simple files look fine; newsletters with linked text boxes, WordArt and text wrapping often don’t (see our comparison).
- Publisher, if you still have itOlder boxed copies (Publisher 2021, 2019 and earlier) keep working. If one is still installed somewhere, “File, Save As, PDF” there is the most faithful copy you can get.
- Online upload convertersMany sites convert .pub files after you upload them. Check what they do with your file before you send anything private.
What to check in the PDF
Most files come through looking just like the original. When something might be off, the converter tells you in plain words on the file itself, for example “Converted, please check page 2”, and lets you see and copy any text that didn’t fit. A few things to know:
- Fonts: fonts we’re not allowed to include are replaced with look-alikes. The words are the same, but a line may break in a slightly different place.
- The text is real text: you can search it and copy it out of the PDF.
- Very old files (Publisher 2000 and earlier) are less tested. Some styles and pictures may be missing, and a few won’t open.
If you need to change the text
A PDF is great for reading and printing, but not for editing. If you want to update last year’s newsletter, convert it to a Word file instead (this needs a licence), or take the PDF into a design tool such as Canva, which can import PDFs.
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Converting to PDF or PNG pictures is free, with no sign-up and no watermark, up to 20 files at a time. A one-time licence (€19 / $19 for one person, €69 / $69 for an organisation) adds Word files and whole folders of any size.
Do you upload or keep my file?
No. The converter runs inside your browser, so your file never leaves your computer. You can even switch off Wi-Fi once the page says “Ready to work offline” and it still works.
Will it look exactly like it did in Publisher?
Usually very close, but not always exactly. In our tests on files where we have Publisher’s own PDF, our pages matched better than LibreOffice’s on almost every file. Fonts that can’t be included are replaced, and some effects such as outlined letters aren’t drawn yet. The converter tells you which pages to check.
Can I open a .pub file on my phone?
You can pick a .pub file on a phone and get a PDF back, but big files are slow and phones have little memory. A laptop or desktop is more comfortable.
The file says it isn’t a .pub file. What now?
Some files end in .pub but are something else, for example a security key file. Real Publisher files have a particular structure inside, and the converter checks for it. If yours is refused, it most likely isn’t a Publisher document.