'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Can Microsoft Project Professional 2016 and Project Online Desktop Coexist?
Question details
The user wants to know if Microsoft Project Professional 2016 and Project Online Desktop Premium can be installed simultaneously on the same computer.
- Product
- Microsoft Project
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Attempting to install or use both Project Professional 2016 and Project Online Desktop Premium on a single machine.
- Observed behavior
- The desktop applications conflict, preventing both from being installed natively on the same Windows operating system.
Ensure you have your product keys and account credentials ready for both versions of Microsoft Project. If you plan to use virtualization, check that your Windows computer has sufficient RAM and storage to run a secondary operating system smoothly.
Install One Version Using a Virtual Machine
Create an isolated environment to run the secondary Project application without conflicting with your host system.
By using virtualization software, you can run a secondary instance of Windows. This keeps the registry and installation files completely separate, bypassing the Microsoft Office coexistence limitations.
Download and install a virtual machine application such as VMware Workstation, Parallels, Hyper-V, or VirtualBox on your primary Windows PC.
Open your virtualization software, create a new virtual machine, and install a fresh copy of Windows onto it.
Install Project Professional 2016 normally on your primary, native Windows operating system.
Boot up the newly created virtual machine and run the installer for Project Online Desktop Premium exclusively within that isolated environment.
Keep Only One Project Installation
Avoid software conflicts entirely by choosing the version that best fits your current business needs and removing the other.
Discover WPS Office for Your Document and Planning Needs
Dealing with strict Microsoft Office installation limitations can be frustrating. Switch to WPS Office, a highly compatible, lightweight, and completely free alternative that integrates Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF tools seamlessly without installation conflicts.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Navigate to the official WPS website and download the unified, lightweight installer for Windows.
- 2. Install the suite: Run the setup file to install the complete suite of document, spreadsheet, presentation, and PDF tools in one go.
- 3. Open your files: Launch WPS Office and directly open your existing Microsoft Office files with full formatting retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Microsoft Project Professional 2016 and Project Online Desktop conflict?
These applications use different installation technologies (MSI vs. Click-to-Run) or share identical system registry paths that Microsoft prevents from running simultaneously on the same host operating system.
Can I install Visio 2016 along with Project Online Desktop?
Similar to Project conflicts, volume-licensed (MSI) versions of Visio 2016 often conflict with Click-to-Run Office 365 or Project Online products. You will likely need to use the same virtualization workaround.
Are there free virtualization tools to run a secondary MS Project?
Yes, Windows 10 and 11 Pro editions include Hyper-V for free. Alternatively, you can download Oracle VM VirtualBox at no cost to host your second environment.
Will using a virtual machine affect the performance of MS Project?
Running a virtual machine requires your PC to split its CPU and RAM resources. MS Project should run smoothly provided your host machine meets the hardware requirements for running two operating systems simultaneously.
