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Moving on from Microsoft Publisher

Keep working on Publisher files in Medusa

Microsoft is retiring Publisher. Whatever you designed there (a club newsletter, an invitation, a flyer) you can keep working on here: saved as a PDF, opened in Medusa, with editable text.

How it works

  1. Save it as a PDF in PublisherFile › Export › Create PDF/XPS Document (or “Save As” → PDF). Choose the highest print quality.
  2. Open it in MedusaOn the start page, choose “Open PDF”. The file becomes a document with pages, text and images.
  3. Keep workingEdit the text, swap images, adjust colours, work with others in the same document and export a print PDF.

Try it

What comes across

  • The text stays editable, in text frames with paragraph and character styles.
  • Images, at their size and position.
  • Colours, as colour swatches.
  • Every page, one by one.

What doesn't come across

  • Medusa does not read the “.pub” file itself; the route runs through the PDF.
  • Styles arrive as a font and size, not under their Publisher name (e.g. “Bold, 14 pt” instead of “Subhead”).
  • A linked Publisher mail merge does not carry over. Medusa has its own.

Frequently asked questions

Do I still need Publisher?

No. Once it's saved as a PDF and opened in Medusa, you keep working there.

What if I'm missing a font Publisher used?

Medusa substitutes a similar font and shows where that happened.

Does this work with a Word file too?

Yes: open a “.docx” directly on the start page, no PDF detour needed. That suits content you want to set anew.

Does it cost anything?

Medusa is free during the beta; a profile is approved by hand.