{
  "id": 6423467,
  "title": "Microsoft closes the book on Publisher and unplugs Project Online",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-publisher-and-unplugs-project-online-6423467",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-09T12:03:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register",
    "slug": "the-register",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/software/2026/09/09/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-publisher-and-unplugs-project-online/5295205"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Microsoft is set to discontinue Project Online and retire Publisher from Microsoft 365 subscriptions over the coming weeks. Project Online, a cloud-based project management service, will end on September 30, followed by the end of support for perpetual versions of Publisher and Office 2021 on October 13. Project Online Essentials, a more affordable licensing option, will also reach end of life on October 1, 2026. Microsoft recommends migrating users to Planner Plan 1 or Planner and Project Plan 3, but third-party alternatives like ProjectLibre are also available. Organizations must transfer affected users to supported alternatives before October 1 to maintain uninterrupted access, as Microsoft will not offer an Extended Security Updates program for Office 2021 after its support ends.",
  "summary": "Office 2021 joins the October retirement list as customers weigh pricier alternatives",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register Science",
        "title": "Microsoft closes the book on Publisher and unplugs Project Online",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-publisher-and-unplugs-project-online",
        "published": "2026-09-09T12:03:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}