The short answer
There has never been a Mac version of Microsoft Publisher, and Microsoft has given no sign that one is coming, especially with Publisher itself retiring for Windows in October 2026. If a .pub file has landed on a Mac, a Chromebook or a Linux machine, stillpub.com/app opens it in the browser you already have. It runs the same way on every desktop operating system because it is a web app, not installed software.
Why there is no Publisher for Mac
Publisher was built on Windows-only foundations from the start and Microsoft never ported it, the way it did with Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Mac users who needed Publisher files over the years mostly relied on a Windows machine, a virtual machine, or a colleague. None of that is necessary now: the .pub format itself can be read without Publisher at all.
What works on Mac, Linux and Chromebook instead
- stillPUB, in any modern browser on any of the three. Opens .pub, keeps it editable, exports PDF, JPG and PNG. No install, no account, nothing uploaded.
- LibreOffice Draw, a free desktop application with builds for macOS and Linux (and a Chromebook only via Linux/Crostini). It imports .pub files with its own filter.
- Affinity Publisher and Canva both run on Mac, but neither opens a .pub file. They are page-layout tools for building new documents, not for reading old Publisher ones. The full breakdown is on the Publisher alternative comparison.
Opening a .pub file on a Mac
- Open Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox and go to stillpub.com/app.
- Click Open .pub file and choose the file in Finder.
- Check the conversion report for anything that needs a fix.
- Edit, then save as .stillpub or export a PDF, JPG or PNG.
The same four steps work on a Chromebook (choose the file in Files) and on Linux (choose it in your file manager). The full walkthrough, including what does and does not convert, is on how to open a .pub file without Publisher.
What stillPUB does not do
It does not save back to .pub, and it is built for a desktop browser rather than a phone. Beyond that, it behaves the same on macOS, ChromeOS, Linux and Windows, because the file never leaves your computer to begin with.