You can download Microsoft Project on a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC and try the full desktop app free for a month with Planner and Project Plan 3. Start the trial, sign in, and Project installs from your Microsoft 365 account in a few minutes.
Project comes two ways. Plan 3 is a subscription that adds the desktop app on up to five PCs, while Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 are one-time purchases for one PC.
This guide covers which Project fits your situation, the official Microsoft links, both install routes, the Office Deployment Tool, Mac options, and fixes when setup refuses to run.
Which Microsoft Project download do you need?
Project is sold by licence, not by file. Match your situation to a row, then follow the link.
| Your situation | What to get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Windows PC, want the desktop app, try before paying | Planner and Project Plan 3 trial | Free for one month, then $30.00 user/month |
| Windows PC, full features, no subscription | Project Professional 2024 | $1,129.99 once, one PC |
| Windows PC, scheduling and Gantt charts only | Project Standard 2024 | $679.99 once, one PC |
| Any browser, including a Mac, lighter planning | Planner Plan 1 | $10.00 user/month, no desktop app |
| IT admin deploying to many PCs | Office Deployment Tool | Free tool, 3.4 MB |
Planner Plan 1 and the basic Planner in Microsoft 365 plans never install the Project desktop app. Only Plan 3 or a Project 2024 licence does.
Download Microsoft Project from the official Microsoft pages
Every genuine Project download starts on a Microsoft domain. The setup file is generated for your account after sign-in, so the plan and install pages come first.
- Compare Planner and Project plans — Plan 1, Plan 3 and their trials side by side
- Planner and Project Plan 3 — includes the Project desktop app; select Try free for one month
- Compare Project 2024 one-time purchases — Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024
- Microsoft’s Install Project instructions — subscription and one-time purchase steps
- Office Deployment Tool — 3.4 MB · officedeploymenttool_20326-20112.exe, for scripted and offline installs
No standalone Project .exe sits on microsoft.com for consumers. The small setup file streams the full app from Microsoft’s Office network.
Is Microsoft Project free?
Use the one-month Plan 3 trial to get Project free. After that, the desktop app is paid. Planner and Project Plan 3 costs $30.00 per user per month, paid yearly, and includes the Project desktop app on up to five PCs. The trial needs a credit card and converts to a paid subscription unless you cancel. Project Standard 2024 costs $679.99 and Project Professional 2024 costs $1,129.99 as one-time purchases for one PC, with no trial. Microsoft sells Project as a stand-alone application, so Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and business suites do not include it. Planner Plan 1 at $10.00 per user per month covers web and Teams planning only. A site offering a Project key far below these prices is not selling a licence Microsoft honours.
Check the Microsoft Project system requirements before you buy
These are Microsoft’s published figures for Microsoft 365 apps, which cover the Project desktop app.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft Corporation |
| Latest version | 2608 (Build 20326.20158), Current Channel |
| License | Paid, with a one-month Plan 3 free trial |
| Supported OS | Windows 11; Windows 10 stays on Version 2608 with security updates to October 10, 2028 |
| Mac | No desktop app; Planner web app in Safari or Chrome |
| Processor | 1.6 GHz or faster, 2-core |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM; 2 GB RAM for 32-bit |
| Disk space | 4 GB available |
| Display | 1280 x 768 |
| Graphics | DirectX 9 or later for hardware acceleration |
| Architecture | 32-bit and 64-bit, matching any installed Office |
| Installer size | 3.4 MB Office Deployment Tool; the app streams |
| Offline installer | Yes, through the Office Deployment Tool |
| Also required | Internet access and a Microsoft or work account |
| Last verified | 2026-09-19 |
Windows 10 PCs keep working, but new Project features after Version 2608 arrive only on Windows 11. See Microsoft’s Windows 10 notice.
How to install Microsoft Project with Plan 3 on Windows 11 and 10
The desktop app installs from your work or school account. That account needs a Planner and Project Plan 3 licence, from a purchase or the trial, before Project shows up.
- Go to microsoft365.com and sign in with your work or school account.
- Select Install apps, then Microsoft 365 apps.
- Select Apps & devices in the portal.
- Find Project and choose your language and version.
- To get the 64-bit edition, select Advanced under Version, then pick 64-bit.
- Select Install Project.
- Select Open or Run when the setup file arrives in your browser.
- Select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
- Wait for setup to finish, then select Start and search for Project.
Installing needs local administrator rights. If Project is not listed under Apps & devices, the account has no licence, and your IT admin has to assign one.
Install Project Standard or Professional 2024 with a product key
A one-time purchase uses a personal Microsoft account and a product key rather than a work account. Redeem the key once, and the licence stays tied to that account.
- Go to microsoft365.com/setup.
- Sign in with an existing or new Microsoft account and enter your product key.
- Go to microsoft365.com and sign in with the same Microsoft account.
- Select Install and more on the home page.
- Select Services & subscriptions if you own several Microsoft products.
- Find your Project version and select Install.
- For 64-bit or another language, select Other options first, choose them, then select Install.
- Run the setup file, select Yes at the prompt, and open Project from Start.
Volume licence copies of Project 2024 skip this route. Your IT department installs them with the Office Deployment Tool.
Install Project offline with the Office Deployment Tool
Admins, and anyone who needs an offline install, can use Microsoft’s free Office Deployment Tool. It installs Project through Click-to-Run from the Office CDN, not from an MSI.
Name the product ID that matches your licence. A wrong ID installs, but never activates.
| What you need | What to use |
|---|---|
| The tool itself | Office Deployment Tool 16.0.20326.20112 |
| Planner and Project Plan 3 | Product ID ProjectProRetail |
| Project Professional 2024 retail | Product ID ProjectPro2024Retail |
| Project Standard 2024 retail | Product ID ProjectStd2024Retail |
| Project 2024 volume licence | Product ID ProjectPro2024Volume or ProjectStd2024Volume |
| Fetch the installation files for offline use | setup.exe /download project.xml |
| Install from those files | setup.exe /configure project.xml |
| Full admin walkthrough | Deployment guide for Project |
In the Office Customization Tool, leave the Office Suite field empty and pick your edition in the Project dropdown. Run both commands from an administrator command prompt.
Microsoft recommends installing straight from the CDN rather than downloading the files first, unless the PC has no reliable connection.
Which Microsoft Project option works on your Mac?
Project work on a Mac runs in the browser. Pick the row that matches what you need to do.
| Your Mac and need | What to use | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Plan tasks, timelines and sprints in a browser | Planner Plan 1 in Safari or Chrome | $10.00 user/month |
| Critical path, baselines and advanced dependencies online | Planner and Project Plan 3 web app | $30.00 user/month |
| Need the full desktop app | Use a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC | Plan 3 or Project 2024 |
Microsoft’s Office for Mac packages cover Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote. None of them installs Project, so there is no .dmg or .pkg to download.
Should you install Plan 3 or Project Professional 2024?
Choose Planner and Project Plan 3 if you work in a Microsoft 365 organisation, and Project Professional 2024 if you want to pay once and keep it. Plan 3 includes the Project desktop app plus Planner on the web and in Teams, installs on up to five PCs per user, and keeps receiving feature updates. Project Professional 2024 costs $1,129.99 once, covers one PC, supports LTSC and connects to Project Server Subscription Edition. Project Standard 2024 at $679.99 drops comprehensive resource management, timesheets and the Project Server connection, so buy it only for single-project scheduling. At $30.00 a month, Plan 3 overtakes the Professional 2024 price after about three years. Project Online, bundled with Plan 3, is being retired on September 30, 2026, so buy Plan 3 for the desktop app and Planner, not for Project Online.
How to check your Project version and update it
Project shares its version number with the Microsoft 365 or Office installation on the PC.
- Open Project and select File.
- Select Account.
- Read the product name, version and build under Product Information.
- Select About Project to see whether the install is 32-bit or 64-bit.
- Select Update Options, then Update Now.
- Close Project when the updater asks, and reopen it when the update finishes.
No Update Options button means a Windows Installer (MSI) copy, such as volume-licensed Project 2016, rather than Click-to-Run.
How to check a Project installer is genuine
Fake Project installers are common because the app is expensive. The file signature settles it.
- Check the address. Genuine files come from microsoft.com, microsoft365.com or download.microsoft.com.
- Right-click the downloaded setup file and select Properties.
- Open the Digital Signatures tab, select the signature, then select Details.
- Confirm the signer reads Microsoft Corporation.
- Delete the file if the Digital Signatures tab is missing.
- Close any page selling a Project key far below $679.99, or offering Project as a cracked or pre-activated download.
Fix Microsoft Project not installing on Windows 11 or 10
Setup says Project cannot be installed alongside Office
Project and Office must match in bitness, so 32-bit Project will not install next to 64-bit Office, or the reverse.
- Open Word or Excel, select File > Account > About, and note 32-bit or 64-bit.
- Return to the install page, select Other options or Advanced, and pick the same bitness for Project.
- Run the install again.
Project 2024 refuses to install next to Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 Apps older than Version 2408 cannot share a PC with Project 2024, and both products must use the same update channel.
- Open an Office app and select File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.
- Confirm Product Information shows Version 2408 or later.
- For a volume-licensed copy, set the same update channel in the Office Deployment Tool configuration file.
- Run the Project install again.
Project does not appear under Apps & devices
The account has no Planner and Project Plan 3 licence. Planner Plan 1 and basic Planner never offer a desktop install.
- Sign in at microsoft365.com with the work or school account.
- Ask your IT admin to assign a Plan 3 licence in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Sign out, sign back in, and open Apps & devices again.
Volume-licensed Project 2016 fails on a PC with Microsoft 365
Project 2016 volume licence uses Windows Installer (MSI), which cannot sit beside a Click-to-Run Office of the same 16.0 version.
- Download the Office Deployment Tool from Microsoft.
- Follow Microsoft’s coexistence rules for Office, Project and Visio to pick the supported route.
- Run setup.exe /configure with that configuration file.
How to uninstall Microsoft Project
Project bought on its own uninstalls under its own name. Search for Project, not for your Microsoft 365 suite.
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Select Apps, then Installed apps.
- Search for Project.
- Select the three-dot menu next to the Microsoft Project entry, then Uninstall.
- Confirm with Uninstall and wait for the removal to finish.
- Restart the PC before installing a different Project edition.
Uninstalling does not cancel a Plan 3 subscription. Cancel billing separately in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
What to use instead of the Project desktop app
Check what your account already includes before paying for Plan 3.
| Option | Where it comes from | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Planner in Microsoft 365 | Included with Microsoft 365 business plans | Simple task boards in the browser and Teams |
| Planner Plan 1 | Microsoft, $10.00 user/month | Timelines, sprints and dependencies on any browser, including a Mac |
| Project Standard 2024 | Microsoft, $679.99 once | Gantt scheduling on one PC with no subscription |
| Project Server Subscription Edition | Microsoft partners, on-premises | Organisations leaving Project Online before September 30, 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Project free?
Only for a month. Planner and Project Plan 3 comes with a one-month free trial that needs a credit card, then costs $30.00 per user per month, paid yearly. Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 are one-time purchases with no free trial.
What is the official Microsoft Project download page?
Microsoft’s Install Project page on support.microsoft.com walks through the download. The installer itself comes from microsoft365.com after you sign in with the account that holds your Project licence, and admins can use the Office Deployment Tool from the Microsoft Download Center.
Does Microsoft Project work on Windows 11?
Yes. Microsoft 365 Apps, which include the Project desktop app, list Windows 11 as the supported client OS. Microsoft asks for a 1.6 GHz 2-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 4 GB of free disk space and a 1280 x 768 display.
Does Microsoft Project still run on Windows 10?
Yes, with limits. The subscription Project desktop app on Windows 10 stays on Version 2608 and receives only security updates until October 10, 2028. New features after Version 2608 need Windows 11.
How big is the Microsoft Project download?
The setup file is small because it streams Project from Microsoft’s Office network while it installs. The Office Deployment Tool is 3.4 MB. Plan for about 4 GB of free disk space for the installed app.
Is there a Microsoft Project offline installer?
Yes, through the Office Deployment Tool. Run setup.exe /download with a configuration file to fetch the Project files, then setup.exe /configure to install from them. Activation still needs an internet connection.
Is there a Microsoft Project download for Mac?
No. Microsoft’s Office for Mac packages cover Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote, and none installs Project. On a Mac, use the Planner web app in Safari or Chrome, and keep the desktop app on a Windows PC.
Should I install 32-bit or 64-bit Project?
Install the same bitness as the Office already on your PC, because Microsoft does not allow mixed 32-bit and 64-bit Office products. On a PC without Office, pick 64-bit under Other options before you select Install.
Is it safe to download Microsoft Project from other sites?
No. Genuine Project setup files come only from Microsoft domains and are signed by Microsoft Corporation. Cracked, pre-activated or cheap key downloads carry no valid licence and are a common malware route.
Which Microsoft Project version is current?
The subscription desktop app follows Microsoft 365 Current Channel, which reached Version 2608, build 20326.20158, on September 18, 2026. Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 are the current one-time purchase releases.
Why will Microsoft Project not install?
The usual causes are a bitness mismatch with Office, a Microsoft 365 build older than Version 2408 next to Project 2024, different update channels, or an account with no Planner and Project Plan 3 licence assigned.
Is Microsoft Project free with Office 365?
No. Microsoft sells Project as a stand-alone application, so Microsoft 365 and Office 365 plans do not include the desktop app. They include basic Planner in the browser and Teams, and Project needs Plan 3 or a Project 2024 licence.
Can I install Microsoft Project on more than one PC?
With Planner and Project Plan 3, yes. Each licence allows up to five concurrent installations of the Project desktop client. Project Standard 2024 and Project Professional 2024 are licensed for one user on one PC.
