Final yr, we reported that Microsoft was killing Writer in October 2026. On the time, Microsoft claimed that this transfer was to “give attention to new advantages” and “present clients with the instruments they should obtain what issues.”
Microsoft Writer is a 35-year-old program (sure, 35), first launched in 1991 as a part of the Microsoft Workplace suite. It affords customers instruments to create numerous publications corresponding to brochures, newsletters, and enterprise playing cards.
This system isn’t as standard as its star siblings (Phrase, PowerPoint, and Excel), and it appears Microsoft isn’t actually interested by it, main some Microsoft Most Invaluable Professionals to name it an “undesirable step-child” within the Workplace household as a result of lack of devoted help channels for customers.
In our final report on this, Microsoft stated it could share extra because it appeared into new methods to deal with widespread Writer duties in Phrase, PowerPoint, and Designer. That has now been fulfilled, as Microsoft has up to date the unique help article.
The earlier “What you have to do to arrange” part of the article used to have the next message:
No motion is required. This data is to permit you ample time to plan, and we are going to share further updates because the date approaches.
Now, the part has been changed with a “Find out how to put together earlier than October 2026” part that begins by advising customers to transform their .pub recordsdata to a different format, as after October 2026, they will not be capable to entry or edit these recordsdata within the non-Perpetual model of Writer.
The corporate recommends that you simply convert your Writer recordsdata to PDF utilizing the next steps:
- Open the Writer file.
- Go to File > Save As.
- Select a location to save lots of the file.
- Choose PDF because the file kind and click on Save.
When you’ve got many recordsdata to transform, you should use a macro or one of many many on-line companies that may deal with the conversion for you. If you wish to edit these recordsdata after October 2026, you may must convert them to PDF first, then convert them to Phrase:
- Open Phrase.
- Go to File > Open.
- Find and open the PDF file.
- Choose OK within the dialog field.
Your doc will open as a Phrase file.
Be aware: The transformed Phrase doc will likely be optimized for textual content enhancing. Consequently, its structure might differ from the unique PDF, notably if the doc contains many graphics.
The promised “Really useful alternate options to Microsoft Writer” part accommodates this desk:
| I wish to create… | Really useful App |
|---|---|
| Advertisements or Flyers | Phrase, PowerPoint or Designer |
| Brochures | Phrase or PowerPoint |
| Banners, Indicators, Posters | PowerPoint or Designer |
| Certificates | Phrase or PowerPoint |
| Enterprise playing cards | Phrase or PowerPoint |
| Enterprise invoices, purposes, and types | Phrase |
| Calendars | Phrase or PowerPoint |
| Envelopes | Phrase |
| Labels | Phrase |
| Letterhead | Phrase |
| E-newsletter | Phrase |
| Applications, Folded Paper Initiatives | Phrase |
| Playing cards (Greeting, Praise, and so on.) | Phrase, PowerPoint or Designer |
Microsoft nonetheless maintains that Writer will likely be faraway from Microsoft 365 subsequent yr. This comes after the corporate not too long ago confirmed stories that Skype was going away after customers dug into the app’s code and found a hidden message notifying customers of the app’s shutdown in Might this yr.
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