The University community is advised that Microsoft Publisher will reach end of life in October 2026. Microsoft has announced that Publisher will no longer be supported or included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions after October 1, 2026. Users who rely on Publisher for newsletters, brochures, posters, certificates, event programs, or other publications should begin planning their transition now.

After October 1, 2026, Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to use Publisher to open or edit .pub files. Support for the perpetual version of Publisher will also end in October 2026 as part of the end of support lifecycle for Office LTSC 2021 and Office 2021.

What Does This Mean for University Users?
Faculty, staff, and departments that currently use Publisher should:

• Identify and inventory important Publisher (pub) files.
• Convert documents that need to be preserved to PDF format.
• Evaluate alternative applications for future document creation.
• Migrate active Publisher content well in advance of the October 2026 deadline.

Recommended Alternatives
Microsoft notes that many common Publisher tasks can now be completed using:

• Microsoft Word for newsletters, labels, letterhead, forms, and certificates.
• Microsoft PowerPoint for brochures, posters, event materials, and visual publications.

Next Steps
University departments are encouraged to review their shared drives, OneDrive storage, and SharePoint sites for .pub files, determine which documents require long-term retention or future editing, and complete any necessary file conversion or migration activities in advance of Microsoft's October 2026 retirement date. Files needed only for reference should be archived as PDFs, while documents requiring future updates should be recreated in supported applications.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the OCIO Service Desk.

Overview

Microsoft is retiring its native SMS and voice authentication services in Microsoft Entra ID and is transitioning users toward more secure, phishing-resistant authentication methods such as Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator, Passkey using FIDO2 security keys, and Microsoft Authenticator Number Matching. Starting September 1, 2026, eligible users may begin receiving Microsoft-managed prompts encouraging passkey registration. Beginning February 1, 2027, Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication services will be retired. Users who rely solely on SMS or voice authentication will need to register an alternative supported authentication method to continue signing in. 

What is Changing?

Microsoft is making passkeys the default authentication experience in Microsoft Entra ID. As part of this change:

September 1, 2026
Users enabled for SMS or voice authentication may begin receiving prompts encouraging them to register a passkey during sign in. According to Microsoft's current documentation, these prompts are intended to encourage registration and are not expected to block access.  

February 1, 2027
Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication services will be retired. Users whose only authentication methods are SMS or voice will be required to register a supported alternative authentication method in order to continue accessing their accounts.