What is publisher.exe?
publisher.exe is the main executable for Microsoft Publisher, a desktop publishing application in the Office suite. It opens Publisher documents (.pub), renders layouts, and handles text and image placement, fonts, and page setup during editing and publishing.
publisher.exe coordinates the Publisher UI, rendering, and data flow with Office components; it may spawn auxiliary processes for font services, add-ins, or background autosave tasks via COM and Windows services.
Quick Fact: Publisher integrates with Office fonts and printer drivers, enabling precise page layouts and publish-ready output from a familiar Office interface.
Types of Publisher Processes
- Main UI Process: User interface and document window (1 instance)
- Renderer Processes: Layout rendering for pages and previews (multiple)
- Font/Font-Cache Process: Manages fonts and glyph rendering for documents
- Add-in/Extension Process: Publisher add-ins or macros may run in separate processes
- Background Save/Sync Process: Autosave, OneDrive/SharePoint sync tasks
- Printer/Export Helper: Handles printing and PDF export interactions
Is publisher.exe Safe?
Yes, publisher.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from Microsoft released via official Office installation sources.
Is publisher.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real publisher.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware sometimes disguises itself with similar names to trick users.
How to Tell if publisher.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSPUB.EXE or C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSPUB.EXE. Any publisher.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the file in Explorer → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show "Microsoft Corporation" as signer.
- Resource Usage: Normal usage is 0-3% CPU idle, 5-20% during editing, 100-500 MB memory. Extremely high usage when idle is suspicious.
- Behavior: Publisher should run when you open Publisher or a .pub document; multiple instances when idle is unusual and may indicate malware.
Red Flags: If publisher.exe is located in unusual folders (like Temp, AppData\\Roaming, or System32), runs when Publisher isn't open, has no digital signature, or uses excessive resources constantly, scan with trusted antivirus. Be wary of similarly named files like "pub.exe" or "publisher32.exe" from untrusted sources.
Why Is publisher.exe Running on My PC?
publisher.exe runs when you open Microsoft Publisher or when Office publishers tasks are configured to run in the background.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Publishing Session: You're editing or viewing a .pub document; rendering and autosave keep publisher.exe active.
- Background Sync and Fonts: Office components sync with OneDrive/SharePoint and manage fonts, which may run under publisher.exe or related processes.
- Startup and Preload: Office may preload components at login to speed launcher performance of Publisher.
- Add-ins and Macros: Publisher add-ins or VBA macros can spawn separate processes or services during use.
- Export/Print Operations: Exporting to PDF, sending to printers, or publishing to web toggles background tasks that involve publisher.exe.
Can I Disable or Remove publisher.exe?
Yes, you can disable publisher.exe. It's safe to close Publisher when not in use; you can uninstall Publisher as part of Microsoft 365 if you no longer need it.
How to Stop publisher.exe
- End Document Tasks: Close the .pub document or exit Publisher to terminate processes
- Close Publisher: Use File → Exit or click the X to close all Publisher windows
- End Background Tasks: Open Task Manager, find publisher.exe or officeBackgroundTaskHandler.exe, end task
- Prevent Startup: Task Manager → Startup tab → Disable Microsoft Publisher
- Stop Background Sync: Office Settings → Save or Sync options → disable background publish sync
How to Uninstall Publisher
- ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Apps & Features → Microsoft Publisher → Uninstall
- ✔ Control Panel → Programs → Uninstall a program → Microsoft Publisher → Uninstall
- ✔ Consider alternatives: Word, Publisher alternatives if needed
Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage
If publisher.exe is consuming excessive resources:
Common Causes & Solutions
- Too Many Open Publications: Close unused .pub documents and reduce open windows; consider exporting to PDF to free resources.
- Background Add-ins: Disable unnecessary Publisher add-ins via File → Options → Add-Ins and manage COM Add-ins.
- Large or Image-Heavy Layouts: Optimize images, compress assets, and simplify layouts to reduce rendering load.
- Outdated Office: Update Office to the latest version: Office Update in Account settings.
- Printer/Export Driver Issues: Update printer drivers and export settings; try exporting to PDF with a different driver.
- Font Issues: Install missing fonts or switch to standard fonts; font substitution can balloon memory use.
Quick Fixes:
1. Open Publisher Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc or Application Task Manager) to identify heavy tasks
2. Close large or problematic publications
3. Disable unnecessary add-ins in Publisher
4. Update Publisher and Office
5. Apply printer and export driver updates
Frequently Asked Questions
Is publisher.exe a virus?
No, the legitimate publisher.exe from Microsoft is not a virus. It should be located at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSPUB.EXE or C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSPUB.EXE and signed by Microsoft Corporation.
Why is publisher.exe using so much CPU?
High CPU is usually caused by complex layouts, large images, or active export operations. Check the Publisher Task Manager and close problematic publications; ensure Office is up to date.
Can I delete publisher.exe?
If you no longer need Publisher, you can uninstall it via Windows Settings → Apps or Control Panel. Your documents stay in their folders; you can reopen them with another Office app if needed.
Can I disable publisher.exe?
Yes, you can close Publisher anytime or disable startup and background tasks in Task Manager. This won't remove Publisher, just stops it from running automatically.
Where is publisher.exe located?
Typically in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSPUB.EXE or C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSPUB.EXE. If you find publisher.exe elsewhere, verify its signature and path.
How do I repair or reinstall Publisher?
Run a Microsoft Office repair via Settings → Apps → Microsoft Office → Modify → Quick Repair / Online Repair. Reinstall Publisher by adding it from Office setup if needed.