The Mac Expert • Macintosh Support

Here's a really common problem for graphic designers and printers:  A client sends you files to insert into a page layout or print, you attempt to open the file, and horror of horrors… it's a .PUB file!

Microsoft Publisher, a graphics and layout program, is only made for Windows, so unless you have a Windows PC or a way to run Windows on your Mac, like VirtualPC, you can't open these files.  You can have your customer export the file as a JPG, TIFF or PDF, but oftentimes end users don't understand these more complex options.

Next time this happens to you, try freepdfconvert.com.  This nifty website allows you to upload files in a variety of formats and convert them into PDF format.  I use this service to convert the occasional Publisher file and it works great.  Simply upload the file, give them an email address, and they will notify you when the conversion is complete.  The process usually takes about 15 minutes.  

The service is free for occasional use.  There are paid plans starting at just $9 a month if you need additional options, like more frequent conversions, conversions of longer documents, and faster processing of your files.