How to Open and Read Publisher (.pub) Files on a Mac

Tags: Pointers & Resources, Publisher

Microsoft officially retired Publisher in 2026, ending support for the application across all platforms (Read my blog other posts on Microsoft Publisher

Because Microsoft Publisher is not available for macOS, you cannot open .pub files natively using default Apple or Microsoft Office for Mac software. As of 2026, the best ways to read these files on a Mac are through third-party apps, online converters, or virtualization.

1. Free Software Alternatives

LibreOffice Draw: This is the most popular free, open-source tool for Mac that can open and edit .pub files.
How to use: Once installed, open LibreOffice Draw, go to File > Open, and select your .pub file.
Note: Formatting may not be perfectly preserved, and you cannot save back to the .pub format; you must export your work as a PDF or another compatible format.

2. Dedicated Viewers (Mac App Store)

PUB Reader: A dedicated application available on the Mac App Store specifically designed to view Microsoft Publisher documents.
Key Feature: It allows you to read .pub files and can export them to more accessible formats like Microsoft Word (.docx) or PDF for further use.

3. Online Converters (No Installation)

If you only need to view the content without editing, you can use a free web-based converter to turn the file into a PDF:

Zamzar: Supports files up to 50MB.
Online2PDF: Handles larger files up to 100MB.
Publisher to PDF: Offers conversion with no strict file size limits.

4. Advanced: Running Windows on Mac

If you frequently work with Publisher files and need full functionality, you can run the Windows version of Microsoft Publisher on your Mac using virtualization software:

Parallels Desktop: Allows you to run Windows applications alongside macOS without rebooting.
VMware Fusion: Another virtualization tool for running a Windows environment on your Mac.

5. Professional Alternatives

Affinity Publisher: A professional-grade desktop publishing app for Mac that is often cited as the best one-time purchase alternative to Microsoft Publisher.
Swift Publisher: An intuitive Mac-native tool for page layout and design that serves as a common replacement for Publisher users moving to Mac.

Summary: Whether you need a quick conversion via Zamzar or a full editing suite like LibreOffice, you no longer need a PC to access your Microsoft Publisher documents.