Dear colleagues,

Microsoft has announced that Microsoft Publisher will reach end of life in October 2026. After that time, Publisher will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 or supported in on-premises Office suites. 

What is changing 

Support for Microsoft Publisher, including the perpetual (on-premises) version, will end in October 2026. Until then, users can continue to access and use Publisher with its current functionality. After the retirement date, Publisher will no longer be available in Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and existing installations will not receive updates or technical support. 

Microsoft is exploring modern ways to address common Publisher use cases through other applications such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Designer. 

Who is affected 

• • All users of Microsoft Publisher. 

• • IT administrators supporting Microsoft 365 or Office LTSC 2021 deployments. 

Action required 

• • All users and departments using Publisher should begin planning to transition documents and workflows to alternative applications before October 2026. 

• • Microsoft recommends converting Publisher files to other formats (e.g., PDF or Word) before the retirement date – Transition Guidance. 

Timeline 

• • Until October 2026: Publisher remains available and supported. 

• • October 13, 2026: End of support for Microsoft Publisher (including Office LTSC 2021). Publisher will be removed from Microsoft 365 offerings.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at https://uoft.me/m365help. 

Kind regards,
Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto