How to convert a Publisher file to Word
You can get a Word copy (text editable) of a .pub file, but it won't always look like the original. Here's why, and what works best.
Why Word copies shift
Publisher puts text and pictures in boxes you place anywhere on the page. Word flows text from top to bottom. When a busy layout (columns, sidebars, overlapping pictures) moves into Word, boxes can move, wrap differently or spill onto extra pages. Simple flyers and one-column pages usually come over cleanly.
If you still have Publisher
File > Save As > Word document (.docx). This gives the best Word copy you'll get.
Without Publisher
- First make a PDF (see how to convert .pub to PDF).
- Open the PDF in Word (File > Open). Word converts it to an editable document.
- Compare page by page with the PDF and fix what moved.
The smart move for templates
If you edit the same bulletin or newsletter every week, rebuild it once in Word using the converted copy as a guide (use a table or text boxes for columns). One afternoon of work, and you're done with Publisher. For old issues you only need to read or print, keep the PDF.