Microsoft Office Apps

Microsoft Office Apps

Install and activate Microsoft Publisher 2021

Follow this streamlined guide to download the installation package, select the correct system architecture, install Publisher and activate your licence.

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Important note

Please install Publisher 2021 first. As per Microsoft Office installation rules, single Office apps must be installed first. Please reinstall if you have Office 365 or another version of Microsoft Office.

This is a very smooth process, and you won't lose any existing files; they will open as normal.

Recommended before you begin

Watch how to install Publisher 2021 and Microsoft 365 with one installer

We strongly recommend watching this short step-by-step video first. It shows each part of the installation on screen, making the process much easier to follow and complete with confidence.

Watch the video on YouTube

Official package link

Download the supplied 32-bit and 64-bit installer bundle.

Choose the right version

Match Publisher to your Windows and existing Office architecture.

Activate securely

Use the genuine product key supplied with your purchase.

Check compatibility before installation

All Click-to-Run Office products on the same computer must use the same 32-bit or 64-bit architecture. Close all Office applications before starting. If Microsoft 365 or another Office edition is already installed, confirm that it supports Publisher 2021 alongside your current product and update channel.

Step-by-step instructions

Download, install and activate Publisher

Complete the following steps in order. Your existing documents remain stored on the computer and are not deleted by a normal Office installation.

Download the installation package

Select the download button and save the ZIP file somewhere easy to find, such as your Downloads folder.

Microsoft Publisher 2021 Standalone Includes separate 32-bit and 64-bit installation folders
Download ZIP

Extract the ZIP file

Right-click the downloaded file and choose Extract All. Select a destination, then open the extracted folder.

Select 32-bit or 64-bit

Open the folder that matches your Office architecture. Most modern computers use 64-bit Windows, but an existing 32-bit Office installation requires 32-bit Publisher.

  • In Word or Excel, open File → Account → About.
  • Look for “32-bit” or “64-bit” beside the version information.

32 · 64 · BIT · BIT

Run the installation

Inside the correct architecture folder, right-click start.bat and select Run as administrator. Approve the Windows prompt and keep the computer connected to the internet until installation finishes.

Enter your product key

Open Publisher and select Account. When the activation window appears, choose I have a product key. Enter the 25-character key from your delivery email, then follow the on-screen instructions to activate Publisher.

Publisher 2021 start screen showing Account and the I have a product key option highlighted
1 Open Account, then select I have a product key.
Publisher 2021 activation window showing the field for entering an Office product key
2 Enter your 25-character Office product key in the highlighted field.

Confirm activation

Return to File → Account and verify that Publisher displays Product Activated. You can now open an existing publication or create a new one.

Publisher opens without an activation prompt
Account page shows Product Activated

Install Microsoft 365 after Publisher

Once Publisher 2021 is activated, use the Microsoft account linked to your Microsoft 365 subscription.

Open Microsoft 365 Visit m365.cloud.microsoft/apps and sign in.
Select Install apps Choose Install apps, then select Microsoft 365 apps.
Download setup Save and open the downloaded OfficeSetup.exe file.
Approve installation If Windows asks for permission, select Yes and wait for setup to finish.
Activate the apps Open Word or Excel, accept the licence agreement and sign in with the same Microsoft 365 account.
Important: Microsoft 365 must match Publisher's 32-bit or 64-bit architecture. Microsoft normally detects an existing Office architecture automatically. If setup asks you to uninstall Publisher or reports an incompatible Office product, cancel the installation and obtain a compatible Microsoft 365 deployment configuration.

Install Publisher 2021 and Microsoft 365 with one installer

Already use Microsoft 365 (Office 365)? Download one installation package that installs Publisher 2021 first, pauses briefly, and then installs Microsoft 365 automatically.

Publisher 2021 + Microsoft 365 combined installer Includes separate 32-bit and 64-bit installation options
Download combined installer
1 Publisher 2021 Installs first
→
2 Microsoft 365 Starts automatically after a brief pause
Uninstall existing Office applications If Publisher or Microsoft 365 (Office 365) is already installed, save your work and close all Office applications. Open Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps, then uninstall both Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft 365/Office 365. Restart the computer before continuing.
Download the installer Select the download button above and save Publisher_2021_and_Office_365.zip somewhere easy to find, such as your Downloads folder.
Extract the ZIP file Right-click the downloaded ZIP file and select Extract All. Open the extracted folder, then choose the 32-bit or 64-bit version that matches your existing Office installation.
Run as administrator Right-click START-INSTALLATION-64BIT.bat or START-INSTALLATION-32BIT.bat, then select Run as administrator. Select Yes if Windows asks for permission.
Wait for both installations Publisher 2021 installs first. After it finishes, there will be a brief pause before Microsoft 365 starts automatically. Keep the installation window open and wait until both installations are complete.
Activate Publisher 2021 Open Publisher 2021 and choose I have a product key. Enter the 25-character Publisher 2021 key supplied with your purchase, then follow the on-screen prompts to activate it.
Sign in to Microsoft 365 Open Microsoft Word or Excel. From the left-hand menu, select Sign in and enter the email address and password associated with your Microsoft 365 subscription.
Before you begin: Save your work, close all Office applications, keep the computer connected to the internet, and use the same 32-bit or 64-bit architecture for Publisher and Microsoft 365. Do not close the installation window during the brief pause between installations.

Install Publisher 2021 if you already have Microsoft 365 installed but do not have Publisher.

Publisher 2021 installer for an existing Microsoft 365 installation Use this package when Microsoft 365 is already installed without Publisher.
Download Publisher 2021 installer

Installation troubleshooting

If setup reports an incompatible Office product, do not force the installation or remove software unexpectedly. Confirm that all Office products use the same architecture and that your Publisher licence matches the installer. Save your work, restart Windows and try again with all Office applications closed.

Use only a genuine Microsoft licence supplied by an authorised seller. Interface wording may vary slightly by Windows and Office build.