How to open a .pub file on a Mac
Microsoft Publisher has never been made for Mac, so a Mac can't open .pub files on its own. You have three options, and the first works in a minute.
Option 1: convert it to PDF in your browser
- Open pubfileconverter.com in Safari or Chrome.
- Click Choose files (or Choose a folder for many files) and pick your .pub file.
- Look through the pages. When you're happy, click Download. Your first 3 files are free.
- Double-click the downloaded zip in Finder to unpack it. The PDF opens in Preview.
This is the easiest way if you just need to read, print or share the document.
Option 2: LibreOffice (free, if you want to edit)
LibreOffice is a free office suite for Mac that can open Publisher files. Install it from libreoffice.org, then open the .pub file with it. It opens in LibreOffice Draw, where you can change text and pictures and save a PDF with the export option in the File menu.
LibreOffice uses the fonts on your Mac. Files that used fonts from Microsoft Office may look slightly different, so check the layout before you print.
Option 3: Windows on your Mac
If you own a copy of Publisher 2016, 2019 or 2021, you can run it in Windows using a virtual machine such as Parallels Desktop. This costs a Windows licence and some setup time, and Microsoft stopped supporting Publisher on October 13, 2026.
Which one should I pick?
| You want to | Best option |
|---|---|
| Read, print or share a few files | Convert to PDF in your browser |
| Convert a whole folder | Convert to PDF in your browser (keeps the folders) |
| Change the text or pictures | LibreOffice, or the PDF in Canva |
Questions
Is there Microsoft Publisher for Mac?
No. Publisher has only ever been available for Windows. It is not part of Microsoft 365 for Mac.
Can Pages or Preview open a .pub file?
No. Neither Pages nor Preview reads Publisher files. Convert the file to PDF first, then Preview opens it.