How to Fix Microsoft Project Access Issues with Office Plan E3
Question details
Users with an Office Plan E3 subscription are unable to access Project Online or install the Microsoft Project application from the Office portal.
- Product
- Microsoft Project
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user is attempting to launch Project Online or download the desktop client from their Microsoft Office portal but is denied access.
- Observed behavior
- The user cannot find the installation link for the Microsoft Project desktop app and receives an access denied or missing license error when navigating to Project Online.
Ensure you have global or billing administrator privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center, as standard users cannot modify or assign subscription licenses themselves.
Assign a Standalone Microsoft Project License
Resolve the access issue by purchasing and assigning a dedicated Project Plan license to the affected user's account.
Microsoft Project is not included as part of the standard Office 365 E3 or E5 enterprise plans. To use Project Online or the desktop app, administrators must assign a specific Project license (Plan 1, Plan 3, or Plan 5) to the user.
Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center in your web browser and log in with your administrator credentials.
In the left navigation pane, click to expand 'Users', and then click on 'Active users'.
Scroll through the list or use the search bar to find the user who needs access to Microsoft Project, then click on their display name to open their properties.
In the user properties pane, click on the 'Licenses and apps' tab. Under the 'Licenses' section, check the box next to Project Plan 1, Project Plan 3, or Project Plan 5.
Click the 'Save changes' button at the bottom of the pane. The user should now be able to access Project Online and install the desktop app (if Plan 3 or 5 is assigned) after a few minutes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does my Office 365 E3 plan include Microsoft Project?
No, Office 365 E3 and E5 plans do not include Microsoft Project. It is a separate product that requires a standalone subscription, such as Project Plan 1, Plan 3, or Plan 5.
Which Project license allows me to install the desktop application?
To install the Microsoft Project desktop application, you need to be assigned either a Project Plan 3 or Project Plan 5 license. Project Plan 1 only provides access to the web-based version.
How long does it take for a newly assigned Project license to become active?
Once an administrator assigns a new Microsoft Project license in the Microsoft 365 admin center, it typically takes a few minutes for the portal to update, but it can occasionally take up to 24 hours for the install options to appear across all Microsoft services.
