What is a .pub file?
Microsoft Publisher Document · Document · Microsoft · 1991
A .pub file is a Microsoft Publisher document: a page-layout file for flyers, newsletters, brochures and cards. Publisher was retired by Microsoft, so opening .pub files without it is a growing problem.
What is a .pub file used for?
Publisher was the entry-level desktop-publishing app in some Office editions, aimed at small businesses and home users rather than print professionals. A .pub file stores the page layout with text boxes, images and decorations, in an OLE2 compound file.
Microsoft retires Publisher in October 2026, and almost nothing else opens the format well: LibreOffice Draw imports many .pub files imperfectly, and online converters handle simple ones. The practical escape route is exporting to PDF from Publisher itself.
How to open a .pub file
The .pub format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .pub file.
Windows
- Microsoft Publisher
- LibreOffice Draw (import)
- online converters
macOS
- LibreOffice Draw (import)
- online converters
Linux
- LibreOffice Draw (import)
- online converters
How to convert a .pub file
You can convert a .pub file to pdf, docx, png using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.pub file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .pub file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for Publisher. For a full breakdown, see the Publisher file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1 | 0 | OLE2 compound file |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .pub file?
A .pub file is a Microsoft Publisher document: a page-layout file for flyers, newsletters, brochures and cards. Publisher was retired by Microsoft, so opening .pub files without it is a growing problem.
How do I open a .pub file without Publisher?
Try LibreOffice Draw, which imports many .pub files with some layout drift, or an online converter to PDF. If you can reach the sender, a PDF export is the reliable answer.
Is Microsoft Publisher discontinued?
Effectively yes. Microsoft has announced that Publisher support ends in October 2026 and recommends Word and Designer instead, which is why .pub files are becoming hard to open.
Can Word open a .pub file?
No, Word does not read .pub layouts. Convert the file to PDF or DOCX first, either in Publisher or through a converter.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: