Microsoft is undergoing major shifts as the tech giant looks to redesign its suite of products by adding premium features and incorporating AI in existing tools like the Paint app. The evolution has brought sweeping changes that have made Microsoft users wary of the new direction, ranging from the unfortunate demise of Skype to AI-induced price hikes for Microsoft 365. Largely, these changes reflect a landscape in which tech companies are shifting resources towards emerging technology markets. One change that dismayed longtime users was Microsoft’s announced discontinuation of one of its oldest applications, Microsoft Publisher. According to Microsoft’s lifecycle page, the company will officially cease supporting the application on October 1, 2026. In the intervening year, users are encouraged to convert all Publisher files to a different format, like a PDF or Word document. Microsoft’s support website provides helpful instructions on how to migrate Publisher documents into new formats, including a PowerShell script to automate the process.
Debuted in 1991 and packaged first with Office 97 Small Business Edition, Microsoft Publisher began as a response to applications like QuarkXPress, PageMaker, and InDesign. It enabled small businesses, students, and the publishing community to make promotional materials with easily templated products, ranging from brochures and business cards to newsletters, magazines, and newspapers. The product has undergone several permutations over the years, adding web publishing tools, PDF export, and cloud collaboration features in order to keep up with the changing publishing landscape. However, recent changes have forced Publisher out of a crowded field. Luckily for fans of the application, a host of alternatives can readily fill the void.
Alternative tools to Microsoft Publisher
Much of the reasoning behind the discontinuation is a reflection not of Publisher’s utility but the simple fact that advancements in Microsoft’s other programs have made it functionally redundant. As Microsoft suggests in its discontinuation announcement, Word, PowerPoint, and Designer can collectively make up for the loss of the Office mainstay. For instance, users can craft newsletters, business forms, envelopes, and labels in Word, while PowerPoint can handle single-page creations like flyers, banners, or business cards. Designer, Microsoft’s AI-powered imaging tool, for its part, can also craft signs, ads, greeting cards, and other picture-centric content. For a full list of Microsoft’s recommended alternatives, visit its support page. To access a wealth of useful templates, the company suggests utilizing Microsoft Create.
Several non-Microsoft alternatives are also available. Adobe, for one thing, offers several subscription-required applications like InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Canva is particularly useful for beginners looking to do everything from creating a LinkedIn picture to designing a business card. Marq, formerly known as LucidPress, advertises itself as a direct alternative to Microsoft Publisher, claiming to present the same functionalities without the price tag. To date, both Canva and Marq also offer paid subscriptions starting at $15 and $12 per month, respectively, with enterprise solutions available. In 2024, Canva bought one of its competitors, Affinity, a design tool the company hopes will compete with Adobe’s InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Once a paid service, Canva has since made Affinity’s Studio tool free. The platforms’ cross-integration makes the pair a worthwhile alternative for those looking to create, edit, and publish their own content after Microsoft Publisher’s much-lamented 2026 demise.
