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PUBExport

Convert a .pub file to editable SVG

When Publisher is gone, the question is not just "how do I open this" but "how do I keep editing it". SVG is the answer for layouts: each page becomes a vector file where every text line is still editable text and every shape is still a shape, which Inkscape (free), Illustrator, Affinity Designer and Canva all open.

Drop .pub files or a whole folder here

Converted in this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded.

The file you get

One .svg per page. Text is real text in its font, size and colour; pictures are embedded; shapes, lines and fills are vector paths. More than one page downloads as a ZIP.

Steps

  1. Drop the .pub file, several files, or a whole folder on the box above. Everything is read by JavaScript in this browser tab; the files never leave your computer.
  2. SVG is already selected.
  3. Click Convert and download, then open the SVG in your design app.

What carries over

  • Every text line as editable text
  • Shapes and lines as vectors
  • Pictures and clip art, embedded
  • Exact positions and page size

Good to know

  • Each line of a paragraph is its own text object, placed where the line fell. Editing a word works everywhere; re-flowing a whole paragraph is easier in Word (choose Word).
  • The page layout, text, fonts, colours, shapes, tables and pictures come across. Text that wraps around a picture, WordArt effects and some gradient styles are simplified. Fonts are replaced by open look-alikes with the same letter widths unless you have the original fonts installed.

Questions

Can I import it into Canva?
Yes. Canva imports SVG files as editable elements: upload the SVG under Uploads, then add it to a design.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. The converter is compiled to WebAssembly and runs in this browser tab. Open DevTools, go to the Network tab and convert a file: nothing carrying your file goes out. After the page has loaded you can even disconnect from the internet and it still works.
Do I need Publisher installed?
No. The .pub file is read directly, without Publisher, Office or a Microsoft account. It works on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and Linux in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.

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