How to open a .pub file on a Chromebook
A .pub file is a Microsoft Publisher document. Publisher has never run on ChromeOS, and Google Docs and Google Drive cannot open .pub files — so on a Chromebook you need to convert the file to PDF first.
Convert it in Chrome (no upload)
- Open PubRescue in Chrome.
- Drop the .pub file on the page, or click to choose it in the Files app or Google Drive.
- After about a second, click Download PDF. The PDF opens in the Chromebook's viewer and can be saved to Drive.
The conversion runs inside your browser: the file stays on your Chromebook, which matters for school and personal documents.
Make .pub files open with a double-click
In Chrome, click the install icon in the address bar to install PubRescue as an app. It then appears in the Files app under Open with for .pub files, and keeps working offline.
Many files at once (school archives)
To convert a whole folder of newsletters at once, with the folder structure kept in one ZIP, use the Batch Pass (one-time payment). Single files stay free.
Other options
Online converters work too, but they upload your file to their servers. If you can borrow a Windows PC with Publisher, use File › Save As › PDF.