Free PUB File Viewer
Open a Microsoft Publisher .pub file and see every page right here — no
Publisher, no install, and no upload. Korva reads the file inside your
browser, so bulletins, member lists and client drafts never leave your computer.
Free · No account · Nothing uploaded · Works on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebooks
Ready when you are
Choose a .pub file to see its pages. It is read in this browser tab and never uploaded.
Need to change something? Download Korva to edit the text, photos and layout, then export a print-ready PDF — your first complete project is free.
How the online PUB viewer works
A .pub file is Microsoft Publisher's own binary format. Browsers, Windows Photos, macOS
Preview and Google Drive cannot display it, which is why double-clicking one usually fails. Most
"online PUB viewers" solve that by uploading your file to their server, converting it there and
showing you the result.
This viewer does the conversion on your side instead. The first time you use it, your browser downloads Korva's WebAssembly reading engine — the same one the Korva desktop app uses. The engine opens the Publisher file in memory, lays out its pages the way Publisher did — text boxes, pictures and formatting in place — and builds a PDF that your browser's built-in PDF viewer displays below the drop zone.
- Choose the .pub file. Click Choose .pub file, or drop the Publisher file onto the viewer.
- Let Korva read it locally. The WebAssembly engine lays out the pages as Publisher did, inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
- Scroll, download or edit. Scroll the preview, download it as a PDF, or open the file in the Korva desktop app if it needs editing.
Viewer, converter or desktop app?
All three Korva tools use one engine, so they read files the same way; only the desktop app lets you
edit the file and use the fonts installed on your computer. Pick the one that matches the job. Use this viewer to check what is inside an unknown .pub attachment. Use the
PUB to PDF converter when you already know you want the PDF.
Use the desktop app when the file needs editing, printing with crop marks, or when you are rescuing
a whole archive.
| Option | Runs on | Where the file goes | What you can do | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korva PUB viewer (this page) | Any modern browser | Local, no upload | View, save as PDF | Free |
| Korva desktop app | Windows, macOS, Linux | Local, offline | View, edit, export PDF | Free first project; Pro $49 once |
| Microsoft Publisher | Windows only | Local | View, edit | No longer part of Microsoft 365 |
| LibreOffice Draw | Windows, macOS, Linux | Local | View, rough edits | Free; import fidelity varies |
| Upload-based online viewers | Any browser | File goes to a server | View, convert | Free tiers, usually with limits |
What the preview shows — and what it can't
Korva keeps the layout of everyday Publisher files: bulletins, newsletters, flyers and cards show their
pages with text boxes, photos, accented characters and formatting where Publisher placed them.
Microsoft never published a complete specification of the .pub format, though, so no
third-party tool reproduces every file exactly. Fonts that aren’t standard are replaced in the browser,
and very old files, heavy WordArt or unusual effects can come through simplified. When something looks
off, open the same file in the desktop app, which uses your installed fonts and keeps every text frame
and image editable.
Viewing .pub files on a Chromebook, iPad or phone
Chromebooks run the viewer exactly like desktop Chrome, which makes this the easiest way to open a
.pub attachment on ChromeOS. Phones and tablets can run it too, with two caveats: big
files can exceed a mobile browser's memory, and some mobile browsers only show the first page of an
inline PDF. If that happens, tap Download PDF and open it in your PDF app. The
complete guide to opening .pub files covers
every device.
Why a local viewer matters
Publisher files are rarely public documents. They hold member directories, donor lists, school newsletters with children's names, and client drafts. Uploading them to an unknown converter hands a copy to someone else's server. Here, the conversion happens offline in your tab. The engine downloads with your first file; after that you can disconnect from the internet and the viewer keeps working.
PUB viewer questions
How do I view a .pub file without Microsoft Publisher?
Drop the .pub file onto this page. Korva reads it in your browser with WebAssembly and shows the pages as a PDF preview. There is nothing to install, no account and no upload.
Is my Publisher file uploaded to a server?
No. The page downloads the Korva engine once and your browser does the reading. The file and the preview stay in this tab; closing it discards both.
Can I view .pub files on a Chromebook, iPad or phone?
On a Chromebook, yes: it has the same browser engine as desktop Chrome. Phones and tablets can run the viewer too, but large files may exceed their memory, and some mobile browsers show only the first page of an inline PDF. Use Download PDF and open the file in your PDF app instead.
Does the viewer show the file exactly as Publisher did?
Close to it: the pages are laid out as Publisher had them, with text boxes, pictures and formatting in place. Publisher never documented its format, so complex or very old files can still differ, and fonts that aren’t standard are replaced in the browser. For those, open the file in the Korva desktop app, which uses the fonts installed on your computer and keeps every frame editable.
Can I edit the .pub file here?
No. This page is a viewer. To change text, swap photos or fix the layout, use the Korva desktop app for Windows, macOS or Linux. It opens and edits any .pub, and a new user can export the first complete project free.
What is the difference between the viewer and the PUB to PDF converter?
Both use the same local engine. The viewer shows the pages on screen first, so you can check what is inside before you keep anything. The converter skips the preview and downloads the PDF directly.
More help: best .pub file viewers compared · what a .pub file is · opening .pub files on a Mac
