Should I delete the original PUB files after conversion?

No. Keep the original files with the converted outputs, even if you can no longer open them easily. They remain the source files for any future recovery tools.

Which files should I convert first?

Start with frequently reused, legally important, customer-facing, or difficult-to-recreate publications before processing the rest of the archive in batches.

Archive planning checklist

Publisher file conversion checklist

A successful Publisher migration is more than pressing Export. Use a repeatable process so important files, fonts, links, and folder organization are not lost.

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1. Inventory the archive

Search shared drives, old computers, external drives, cloud folders, and email attachments for .pub files. Keep the original folder structure and note which documents are still reused.

Prioritize legal records, recurring templates, customer work, school materials, church publications, and anything that would be expensive to recreate.

2. Preserve fonts and linked assets

Record the fonts used on the original computer and gather linked images when they are available. Missing fonts and assets are two common causes of layout changes.

3. Create a preserved PDF first

Treat the PDF as the visual source of truth. Confirm page count, page size, text, images, backgrounds, and print settings before creating editable or redesigned versions.

4. Create the editable destination

Choose PowerPoint, Canva, Google Slides, or Word based on how the document will be maintained. Complex layouts may be better redesigned than mechanically converted.

5. Quality-check and organize the results

Compare every converted page with the preserved PDF. Keep the original PUB, preserved PDF, editable file, conversion report, and any fonts or linked assets together using consistent filenames.