# Recover and open old Publisher files [View online](https://www.zamzar.com/tools/pub-to-pdf-recover-old-files/) PUB files from old versions of Publisher often won't open in modern software, and even when they do the layout can be completely broken. Converting them to PDF with Zamzar gives you a clean, readable version of the original design, so the work you put into those files isn't lost. ## Why convert old Publisher files to PDF before they become impossible to open? ![Illustration for Recover and open old Publisher files](https://www.zamzar.com/images/tools/pub-converter/pub-to-pdf-recover-old-files-desc.png) Old PUB files can become impossible to open long after the version of Publisher that created them has disappeared from your computer. Converting them to PDF with Zamzar rescues that work before it's lost for good. Think of a newsletter you built in Publisher 2003, or a set of custom templates you spent days refining. Without the matching version of Publisher, those files are essentially locked. Other applications sometimes attempt to open PUB files, but the results are often unreliable. Tonia Bergh, who left feedback for Zamzar after recovering her own archived work, put it plainly: “I had templates I created in Publisher years ago but could no longer open. This app not only opened them quickly but saved me the time of redesigning.” That's exactly what converting to PDF does here. It doesn't require Publisher to be installed, and the resulting file is readable on virtually any device. You get a stable, shareable version of your original design that you can archive, print, or pass on without worrying about software compatibility again. Upload your PUB file to Zamzar, and within moments you've got a PDF that preserves the layout of work you may have thought was gone. ## Features ### Rescue Publisher files from decades ago PUB files from Publisher 2000 and earlier versions were saved in formats that modern software often can't read properly. Zamzar can convert these older PUB files to PDF online, giving you back the content and layout of documents that may have been inaccessible for years, without needing to track down a copy of the original Publisher software. ### Get a clean layout when LibreOffice scrambles it LibreOffice Draw can open PUB files, but it often leaves graphics and text completely out of alignment, turning a finished design into something that needs hours of manual correction. Converting the old PUB file to PDF with Zamzar instead produces a properly laid-out document that reflects the original design, so you don't have to rebuild it from scratch. ### Save old Publisher work in a format that will stay readable PDF is a stable, widely-supported format that's designed for long-term access. Unlike PUB files, which depend on Publisher being available, PDFs can be opened in any browser, any PDF viewer, and on any operating system, now and in the future. Converting your archive of old PUB files to PDF now means you won't have to scramble to rescue them again later. ### Keep the original PUB file alongside the PDF Converting a PUB file to PDF doesn't change or delete the original, so you can keep both. For files representing significant work, it's worth holding on to the PUB file even if you can't open it right now, because conversion tools may improve over time and give you better access to the source later. ## Frequently asked questions ### What's the oldest version of Publisher that Zamzar can handle? Zamzar can convert PUB files from Publisher 2000 and later versions, so documents from the early 2000s are supported. Very early or unusual file variants may not convert perfectly, but the main content and layout should come through. ### Can I convert a large PUB file with lots of images? Yes, Zamzar supports large PUB files including those with many embedded images. If your file is very large, an upgraded plan gives you a higher file size allowance for the conversion. ### Will the PDF keep all my embedded images from the original Publisher file? Images embedded in your Publisher file are included in the converted PDF, so they'll appear in the right place in the layout. Very high-resolution images in large files may be slightly compressed, but for most archived documents the images come through clearly. ### Is it safe to upload old business or personal documents to Zamzar? Zamzar uses secure uploads and removes files after a set period, so they're not stored indefinitely. If your old Publisher files contain sensitive personal or business information, it's worth checking Zamzar's current data retention policy before uploading. ### How should I name the converted PDFs when I archive them? Including the original project name and the year it was created in the filename makes it much easier to find specific documents later. For example, 'church-newsletter-2003.pdf' tells you exactly what the file is and when it was made, without having to open it. ### Should I group my converted PDFs by year or by project? Either approach works, and the best choice depends on how you normally search for old documents. If you tend to look for things by time period, year-based folders make sense; if you search by project or client, grouping by project is more practical. ### My PUB files are on an old hard drive. Can I still convert them? As long as you can copy the PUB files from the old drive to a computer with a browser, you can upload and convert them with Zamzar. It's worth copying them to a more reliable storage location first so you have a backup before you start converting. ### Will fonts from old Publisher files come through in the PDF? Fonts that were embedded in your Publisher file should appear correctly in the PDF. If the original file used fonts that are no longer installed or available, those may be substituted, but the text content itself will still be there. ### Do I need to convert every PUB file, or just the ones I can't open? It's worth converting all of them if you want long-term access, since Publisher support is becoming less common as the software ages. Converting the whole archive now means you won't have to do it in an emergency later when you discover a file has become unreadable. ### Can I convert the PDF back to a PUB file if I need to edit it? Converting back from PDF to PUB isn't straightforward, since PDFs don't store the layout information in the same way a Publisher file does. If you think you'll need to edit the content later, it's worth keeping the original PUB file alongside the converted PDF. ## Related tools and guides - [PUB to PDF converter](https://www.zamzar.com/convert/pub-to-pdf/) - [Open a Publisher file without Publisher installed](https://www.zamzar.com/tools/pub-to-pdf-no-publisher/) - [Convert a large Publisher file to PDF](https://www.zamzar.com/tools/pub-to-pdf-large-files/)