Convert .pub files to PDF, with or without Publisher

Method 1: with Publisher (the most faithful)

If Publisher is installed, the best way is its built-in PDF export: open the file, go to File then Export then Create PDF/XPS Document, choose "High quality printing" for print output or "Minimum size" for the web. The resulting PDF is indistinguishable from the original because it goes through the same print pipeline Publisher uses.

Limit: one at a time. For big archives it is impractical.

Method 2: LibreOffice Draw (free, limited fidelity)

LibreOffice Draw imports many .pub files. Open it, drag the file inside, then File then Export As then Export as PDF. On simple documents it works; on newsletters with WordArt, tables, exotic fonts or grouped boxes, the result often drifts from the original (spacing changes, overlaps, substituted fonts). Worth a try, but always check the PDF by eye.

Method 3: generic online converters

Zamzar, FreeConvert, PDF Candy and similar accept a .pub and return a PDF. Upside: no install. Serious downsides: almost all work one file at a time, with queues and daily limits (1-2 files free, then you pay), and use non-native engines with the same fidelity issues as LibreOffice. Plus your files end up on servers you know little about.

Method 4: whole archives in one go

If files are dozens or hundreds, the methods above become unmanageable. That is exactly the case PublisherRescue exists for: you upload whole folders or ZIPs, files are processed on our server (in Europe, with print-quality output), and we return an ordered archive with a faithful PDF for each. Free preview of every file before you pay, automatic deletion after 7 days.

Convert .pub to Word (.docx)

Converting to Word is useful to recover text and images, not the layout: Word thinks in text flow, Publisher in free objects. The result is editable but you have to re-lay it out. With Publisher open: File then Save As, pick "Rich Text Format (.rtf)" or "Word Format", open in Word and fix.

Without Publisher, convert the file to PDF first and open that PDF in Word (File then Open): Word turns it into an editable document. PublisherRescue delivers PDF and PowerPoint, not Word files.

Convert .pub to JPG (image)

Useful when you need a thumbnail of the flyer for web or social. Fast way: convert to PDF first (methods above), then open the PDF and use "Save as image" (Adobe Reader, or Preview on Mac). Alternative, in Publisher: File then Export then Change File Type then JPEG. Resolution: 150 dpi for web, 300 dpi for print.

What NOT to do

Do not print to PDF with "Microsoft Print to PDF" without opening the file in Publisher: from a preview or a third-party viewer, the PDF often comes out with wrong spacing or fonts. a faithful PDF needs Publisher's print pipeline, however you call it.

Do not use converters that do not disclose where the files end up: if the document holds sensitive data (addresses, photos of people, price lists), always check privacy policy and retention.

Read also

• Open a .pub file without Publisher
• Microsoft Publisher end of life
• 6 real Publisher alternatives

Frequently asked questions

What is the most faithful way to convert a .pub to PDF?

Publisher's built-in Export PDF (File Export PDF). Free alternatives use different methods and can shift elements.

Can I convert several .pub files together?

Publisher alone, no. It takes a VBA macro or a service like PublisherRescue that accepts whole ZIPs.

Does the resulting PDF keep print quality?

Yes with Publisher's built-in export: resolution, fonts and colors match the original.

Can I convert a .pub to PDF without having Publisher?

Yes: PublisherRescue does it online, with high-fidelity output, for one or thousands of files.

Publisher no longer opens. Can I still convert my files to PDF?

Yes. The files are intact. LibreOffice Draw handles simple ones for free, PublisherRescue converts whole archives online.