Vole has pledged to explore fresh avenues to replicate common Publisher functionalities across applications like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Designer, but as a stand alone product, Publisher is toast. 

The roadmap ahead seems murky as Microsoft remains tight-lipped about the specifics of Publisher's demise. But mark your calendars, folks, for the fateful day looms on October 13, 2026.

XDA Developers uncovered the news, courtesy of a post by StephenCWLL on X, shedding light on an email from Microsoft.

According to the email, Microsoft Publisher will breathe its last in October 2026, bidding farewell to Microsoft 365 and withdrawing support from existing on-premises suites. 

"Microsoft 365 customers will not be able to access Publisher from that date forward," the email ominously warns, leaving the manner of implementation shrouded in uncertainty. Microsoft  promises further updates as the deadline inches closer.

For those who cannot remember, Publisher was one of the cheapest and more available DTP packages, particularly compared with Quark and Adobe products. It was limited and more designed for those who wanted to bang out a newsletter but it had its uses. As time moved on Microsoft added more graphics and pre-packaged material to keep it going. It also appeared in Vole's later versions of Office.