How-to guide
Convert .pub to PDF without Publisher.
You do not need Microsoft Publisher to turn a .pub file into a PDF. Microsoft has a free PowerShell script for bulk conversion, but it needs Publisher installed, which Microsoft 365 loses on October 1, 2026. PubKeep Converter does the same job in your browser, with no Publisher required.
Short answer: if you still have Publisher installed, Microsoft's Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 script can bulk-convert a folder to PDF. If you do not, or you are on a Mac, PubKeep Converter makes exact PDFs in your browser, a whole folder at once.
Microsoft's own script
What is Microsoft's Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 script?
Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 is a free sample PowerShell script Microsoft links from its Publisher retirement notice. It exports Publisher files to PDF, one file or a whole folder at a time. You point it at your .pub files, and it saves a PDF next to each one.
To convert a whole folder, and its subfolders, you run it with a filter:
Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "*.pub" -Recurse- It converts a single file or a whole tree of folders in one run.
- It keeps going if a file fails and reports which ones succeeded and which did not.
- It will not overwrite a PDF that already exists in the target folder.
- It is a sample, so Microsoft suggests you test it in your own setup before a big run.
The catch
Can I run the script without Publisher installed?
No. The script works by driving a real, installed copy of Publisher, so it only runs on a Windows PC that still has Publisher. Microsoft 365 stops installing Publisher on October 1, 2026, and Publisher never ran on a Mac. Once it is gone from your machine, the script has nothing to drive.
A perpetual copy of Publisher 2016, 2019, or 2021 keeps opening files after that, but Microsoft ends support on October 13, 2026, and it is tied to that one aging computer. So the script is a fine option while you still have Publisher, and no option once you do not. If you have already lost Publisher, or you never had it on this machine, you need a converter that does not depend on it.
When you no longer have Publisher
How do I convert .pub to PDF after Publisher is removed?
Use a converter that does not need Publisher on your machine. PubKeep Converter turns your .pub files into exact PDFs, page for page and font for font, nothing re-flowed. Drop a whole folder in your browser and get a matching zip of PDFs back, from any computer, including a Mac.
It is built for the same bulk job as the script. Upload a folder of .pub files, subfolders included, and download a zip that mirrors your folder shape, plus a per-file report of anything that failed. There is nothing to install and no Publisher license to keep alive on an old PC.
Your first 3 files are free, just your email. After that, one-time packs cover 50 files for $49, 250 for $99, or 1,000 for $299. Credits never expire, there is no subscription, and a failed file is never charged.
Questions
Converting without Publisher, answered.
Yes. PubKeep Converter turns your .pub files into exact PDFs in your browser, with no copy of Publisher on your computer. Microsoft's own PowerShell script can also convert in bulk, but only on a machine that still has a working, licensed Publisher installed.
Microsoft publishes a sample script, Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1. Run it with a filter like -Filter "*.pub" -Recurse to convert a folder and its subfolders. It needs Publisher installed to work, and it skips any PDF that already exists rather than overwriting it.
No. Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 drives an installed copy of Publisher, so it stops working once Publisher is gone. Microsoft 365 loses Publisher on October 1, 2026. After that, use a converter that does not need Publisher on your machine, like PubKeep.
Upload them to PubKeep Converter. It makes exact PDFs, page for page and font for font, a whole folder at once, with nothing installed. Your first 3 files are free, then one-time packs cover 50, 250, or 1,000 files, and credits never expire.
Yes. Publisher never ran on macOS, and the PowerShell script needs Windows and Publisher. PubKeep Converter runs in any browser, so you can convert .pub files to PDF from a Mac, a Chromebook, or a phone.
Keep reading
Related guides.
How to open a .pub file without Publisher
Every method that works in 2026, honestly compared.
Microsoft Publisher end of life
The dates, what changes, and the three ways to keep your work.
Microsoft Publisher alternatives
What to move to, for editing versus just keeping your files.
Convert .pub to PDF
The bulk converter, pricing, and how it works.
No Publisher needed
Convert your .pub files to PDF in bulk.
First 3 files free, just your email. See how the converter works.