Steps
- Open the file. Go to stillpub.com/app, click Open .pub file, choose the file. It opens as pages you can scroll through.
- Check it. A conversion report appears if anything did not come across. Page through the document. Because it is fully editable, you can fix a stray text box or swap a picture before you export.
- Export PDF. Click the File tab, then Export PDF. Pick a place to save. Done.
What the PDF contains
- The real page size. Letter, half-letter, A4, custom sizes: whatever the .pub file used.
- Embedded fonts. Fonts are embedded so the PDF looks the same on a machine without them. Where the original used a Microsoft-only font, stillPUB substitutes a lookalike with compatible font metrics (Carlito for Calibri, Caladea for Cambria, Liberation for Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New) and lists the substitution in the export report.
- Pictures as pictures. Photos and logos are placed in the PDF as images, not as a screenshot of the page.
- Working links. Web addresses in the document become clickable.
Before you send it to a printer: open the export report. It names every font that was substituted and anything that could not be converted. An empty report does not guarantee visual fidelity. Check the exported pages before printing.
Online converters, compared honestly
Search for "pub to pdf" and you will find a page of free converters. Check the result against the original, whichever service you choose. The differences worth knowing:
| stillPUB | Upload-based conversion service | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the conversion runs | In your browser, on your computer | On their server |
| Is the file uploaded | No | Depends on the service and its retention policy |
| Can you fix things first | Yes, the document is editable | No, it is a one-shot conversion |
| Told what did not convert | Yes, a named report | Varies by service |
| Other outputs | JPG, PNG, print, editable .stillpub | Varies |
| Price | Free | Free with limits, paid tiers |
This describes workflow differences, not a benchmark of every service. Read the current terms of the service you choose.
If you still have Publisher
While you still have access to Publisher, it converts to PDF with File, Save As, PDF. Microsoft 365 access ends October 1, 2026; perpetual copies remain usable after support ends October 13. That is Microsoft's official advice and it is a good idea for every file you only need to read. For the files you need to keep editing, a PDF is a dead end, which is what opening the .pub file directly is for.
Need pictures instead of a PDF?
File, Export page images saves the current page, a range, or every page as JPG or PNG at 96, 150 or 300 dpi. One page downloads as an image; several arrive as a ZIP. That is the route for posting a bulletin on a website or a flyer on social media.