How to open old Publisher files (98, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2010)

Quick answer, version by version

Publisher has been around since 1991, through versions 1.0, 2.0, Publisher for Windows 95, 97, 98, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2010 and on to today (version history). Here’s how files from each one fare without Publisher, in LibreOffice Draw and in our converter, based on LibreOffice’s documentation and our own tests:

Newer files, from Publisher 2013 through Microsoft 365, usually open too. They’re outside LibreOffice’s official list, so check every page. Our main guide to opening a .pub file covers those.

How old files are read without Publisher

Microsoft never published the .pub format. Volunteers worked it out themselves and built libmspub, the open-source importer that LibreOffice, Scribus and our converter all use. LibreOffice’s import filter is named for Publisher 98 to 2010.

Inside, libmspub has separate readers for different eras: one for Publisher 2002 and later, one for the Publisher 98 and 2000 format, and a basic one for Publisher 97. The newer reader is by far the most complete, which is why the age of a file matters so much.

Publisher 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2010 files

These are the good news. Microsoft says Publisher 2007 uses the same file format as Publisher 2003 and Publisher 2002, and Publisher 2010 could open, edit and save 2003 and 2007 files. They’re all read by libmspub’s main reader.

In our tests, the same sample saved from Publisher 2003/2007 and from Publisher 2010 converted cleanly in our converter, along with a newsletter, a brochure, a flyer and a résumé. Most test files were simpler than a real bulletin, so still check your own. You can treat these years like any modern archive. To open one now:

1. Free: open it in LibreOffice Draw, check every page, and export a PDF.
2. No install, or many files: use our converter to convert your old .pub files to PDF, with a free preview of every page for the first 10 files.
3. Most faithful: ask someone with Publisher 2016, 2019 or 2021 to save a PDF.

Publisher 98 and 2000 files

Files from this era usually open, but they’re the weak spot. We tested the same sample document saved from both Publisher 98 and Publisher 2000. Plain LibreOffice:

• added an extra blank page;
• dropped a table completely;
• drew Arial bold italic text in a serif font.

Our converter removes the blank page, but the table is still missing and that font is still wrong. Both problems come from libmspub’s reader for this format, and fixing them needs changes to the importer itself.

What that means in practice:

• Simple pages have the best chance. Pages that are just text boxes and clip art avoid the table problem.
• Check any page with a table: schedules, rosters, price lists, sign-up sheets. If the table matters, rebuild it from a printed copy, or ask someone with Publisher for a PDF of that file.
• Use the preview. Our free preview shows every page of the first 10 files, so you’ll see a missing table before paying, and files that fail don’t count toward the price.

Publisher 97 and earlier

Publisher 97: libmspub has a basic reader for these files. Our one test file converted without errors but came out mostly empty, so don’t rely on it.

Publisher 1.0, 2.0 and Publisher for Windows 95: no open-source importer we know of reads these formats, so LibreOffice, Scribus and every converter built on libmspub, ours included, can’t open them. The US National Archives’ plan for Publisher 95 files is to convert them to PDF, which in practice needs a copy of Publisher that still reads them.

Your options:

• Find an old copy of Publisher. An old office PC in a closet, a retired volunteer’s laptop. Test whether it opens the file, then save or print to PDF.
• Scan the printed copy. For many archives, a scanned PDF of the printed bulletin is the record that matters.
• Retype what you need. For a short document, this is often quickest.

One catch: version mismatches cut both ways. Older copies of Publisher can struggle with files from newer versions, so a very old copy may refuse a file saved later.

A sensible order for an old archive

1. Sort by year so you know roughly how much of each era you have.
2. Convert 2002 and later in bulk. They’re the easiest to convert. Our bulk conversion guide covers the free and paid routes.
3. Preview the 98 and 2000 files and flag any with tables.
4. Set aside anything older for an old copy of Publisher, or scan the printed copy.
5. Keep every original .pub file, read-only, next to its PDF.

If you use our converter, it’s a one-time $5 for up to 10 files, $15 for up to 60, $29 for up to 300 or $59 for up to 2,000, and one clean file is free per email address (pricing). No account, and files are deleted after 24 hours.

Related guides

• Publisher file won’t open? Causes and fixes
• How to open a Publisher file in LibreOffice
• Bulk converting Publisher files