Convert a Publisher file to PDF for printing
If you've designed something in Publisher and need to get it printed, converting it to PDF with Zamzar gives you a file that any printer can accept and that holds your layout in place, whatever device or software is used to print it.
Why convert a Publisher file to PDF before printing?
Printers almost universally require PDF files, and a PUB file sent straight to a print shop is likely to come back rejected or printed with missing fonts and broken layouts. Converting your PUB to PDF with Zamzar gives you a file that preserves your design as a fixed, print-ready document that any printer can open and process without needing Publisher installed.
This matters whether you're printing at home or working with a professional print shop. A charity committee that laid out an event banner in Publisher, a small business owner who designed their own flyers, a school that produced a newsletter in-house: all of them need a PDF to get anything off a printer reliably. The PDF locks in your fonts, margins and colours so what you see on screen is what comes out of the press.
Martin Farncombe shared exactly this situation in his Zamzar review: “I had a friend who was using Publisher to produce signs for a charity event, and couldn't get them printed. I suggested Zamzar. Translation to PDF was clean and fast, and the event is saved!” Upload your PUB file to Zamzar, download the converted PDF, and it's ready to send to a printer or print directly from any device.
Get a file your printer will actually accept
Commercial printers and copy shops almost always ask for PDF rather than the native file from your design software, and Publisher's PUB format is no exception. Converting your Publisher file to PDF with Zamzar gives you a file that any print service will accept, without needing to install Publisher or buy a separate export tool.
Keep your page size and layout intact for printing
The PDF produced from your Publisher file will match the page size set in the original document, whether that's A4, A3, US Letter, or a custom size you've set for a specific print job. The layout, text positioning, and images are fixed in the PDF, so what you see on screen is what will come out of the printer.
Print a Publisher design at home without Publisher
If you have a Publisher file you need to print but Publisher isn't installed on your computer, converting it to PDF with Zamzar gives you a file you can print directly from your browser or any standard PDF viewer. It works on Mac, Windows, and Linux without any extra software.
Get sharp text and clean images in the printed PDF
The PDF conversion preserves the resolution of images embedded in your Publisher file, so they'll print at the quality you put into the original design. Text renders crisply because PDF uses vector-based text rather than a rasterised image, which means it stays sharp at any print size.
Frequently asked questions
Does the converted PDF include bleed and crop marks for professional printing?
The PDF conversion produces a standard PDF that matches your Publisher page size but doesn't automatically add printer's marks like bleed areas or crop marks. If the print shop needs those, you'd need to add them in a PDF editor or set them up in Publisher before converting.
Can I print double-sided from the converted PDF?
Yes, double-sided printing is controlled by your printer settings rather than the PDF itself, so you can set up duplex printing when you send the PDF to your printer. The PDF will have the correct page order for double-sided output as long as your Publisher document was set up that way.
Will the colours in the PDF match what I see in Publisher?
Colours in the converted PDF should be a close match to what you see in Publisher, though print colours depend on your specific printer and paper. If colour accuracy is critical for a commercial print job, it's worth asking the print shop to do a proof before the full run.
What should I call the PDF when I send it to the printer?
Including the project name and your name or organisation in the filename, like 'charity-event-signs-2025.pdf', makes it easy for the print shop to identify your job. A clear filename also helps if there's any confusion about which file belongs to which order.
Will my Publisher file print at the right size?
The converted PDF keeps the page dimensions set in your Publisher document, so if you've designed an A4 flyer, the PDF will be A4 and will print at that size. Make sure your printer settings match the page size to avoid the content being scaled up or down.
Can I convert a multi-page Publisher document for printing?
Yes, multi-page Publisher files convert to multi-page PDFs, so you can convert a whole booklet or magazine and send the entire thing to the printer in one file. The page order will be preserved as it was in the original Publisher document.
What if the print shop needs a specific PDF version?
Most print shops accept standard PDF files, and Zamzar produces a widely-compatible PDF format. If the print shop has specific requirements such as PDF/X compliance, it's worth checking with them before converting and asking if the standard Zamzar output meets their specification.
Can I print the converted PDF directly from my browser?
Yes, most modern browsers can print PDFs directly without needing to open them in a separate viewer. If you need more control over print settings such as margins or scaling, opening the PDF in Adobe Reader or Preview gives you more options.
Will fonts print correctly in the converted PDF?
Fonts embedded in your Publisher file are included in the PDF and will print correctly without needing those fonts installed on the printer's computer. If a font wasn't embedded in the original Publisher file, it may be substituted, though this is rare with standard fonts.
My charity event is tomorrow. How quickly can I convert and print the signs?
Zamzar's conversion is fast enough that you can have the PDF ready in a couple of minutes and printing shortly after. As long as the print shop or printer can accept the file and print in time, converting now should give you plenty of time.