# PubKeep launches as a paid way to edit legacy Publisher files

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/pubkeep-picks-up-where-microsoft-publisher-signs-off/
- Published: 2026-10-23T13:34:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T14:38:50+00:00
- Original publisher: The Register
- Original article: https://www.theregister.com/applications/2026/10/23/pubkeep-picks-up-where-microsoft-publisher-signs-off/5304978
- Topics: Business, Markets

## Key points

- PubKeep offers a $99 alternative after Microsoft Publisher support ended.
- It runs on Windows and macOS and opens many older .pub files.
- Older files may be sent to a conversion service with user approval.

## Summary

PubKeep has launched as a paid alternative for people who need to open and edit Microsoft Publisher files after Microsoft ended the application’s support. Its arrival matters because Word and PowerPoint do not directly open Publisher’s .pub files, leaving some users seeking ways to keep using documents built up over many years.

The application costs $99 once, runs on Windows and macOS, and supports files from Publisher 2000 to 2021; it also supports Publisher 97 and 98 through an optional conversion service. PubKeep’s creator says its file-reading engine was developed using public documentation, LibreOffice’s parser and comparisons with Publisher’s own output. The company says its saved .pubk format is open, while LibreOffice Draw remains a free option for importing .pub files.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.