Fix Project 2013 Activation Issues After Installing Office 2019
Question details
The user is experiencing activation failures with Project Standard 2013 after installing Office 2019 Home and Business.
- Product
- Microsoft Project 2013, Microsoft Office 2019
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Trying to use volume-licensed Project 2013 alongside a retail or click-to-run installation of Office 2019.
- Observed behavior
- Project 2013 fails to activate, displays an error message, and closes unexpectedly.
Ensure you have your volume license product key for Project 2013 available and confirm that your Microsoft account credentials used for Office 2019 are correct. Make sure to close all active Office applications before attempting to resolve the conflict.
Sign Out of Work Account in Project
Resolve the activation conflict by separating the accounts used for Project 2013 and Office 2019.
Because Office 2019 Home and Business uses a different licensing mechanism than Project Standard 2013 Volume Licensing, signing into a work account across both applications can trigger an activation mismatch. This mismatch causes Project to fail the activation check and close automatically.
Launch Microsoft Project 2013. If it prompts you with an activation error and tries to close, temporarily disconnect your computer from the internet and open it again so you can access the main interface.
Click on 'File' in the top-left corner of the Project window and navigate to 'Account' from the left-hand menu.
Under the 'User Information' section, click 'Sign Out' to remove the connected work account from Project 2013.
Reconnect to the internet if you disconnected, and restart Project 2013 to ensure it opens normally without the activation error.
Open an Office 2019 application like Word or Excel, go to File > Account, and verify you are still signed in with your standard Microsoft account there.
Try WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Productivity Suite
If you are tired of dealing with complex activation errors and licensing conflicts across different software versions, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, unified office suite that is fully compatible with Microsoft formats without the activation headaches.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click 'Download'.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
- 3. Open and Edit Files: Launch WPS Office to instantly open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Office documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does installing Office 2019 break Project 2013 activation?
This occurs because Office 2019 uses a Click-to-Run installation technology that can conflict with the MSI (Windows Installer) based volume licensing of Project 2013, particularly when the same Microsoft account is authenticated across both.
Can I run Project 2013 and Office 2019 on the same computer?
Yes, but you must carefully manage your account logins. Avoid using the same work or school account to sign in to Project 2013 if it uses a volume license, while keeping your retail Office 2019 signed in normally.
What should I do if Project 2013 closes before I can sign out?
Try disconnecting your computer from the internet temporarily. This prevents the activation check from failing immediately, giving you enough time to navigate to File > Account and sign out.
Will signing out of Project affect my Office 2019 applications?
No, as long as you specifically sign out from within the Project 2013 application interface. Your Office 2019 apps like Word and Excel will maintain their separate login sessions.
