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How to Fix Microsoft Project Files Greyed Out and Struck Through
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where tasks within Microsoft Project Standard 2021 files appear greyed out and struck through upon reopening the software.
- Product
- Microsoft Project Standard 2021
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Reopening an existing project file.
- Observed behavior
- Tasks are unexpectedly formatted with a strikethrough and appear greyed out, potentially due to task status changes, inactive settings, or software corruption.
Before modifying project settings or repairing your installation, make sure to save a copy of your .mpp file to prevent any accidental loss of project data.
Review Inactive Task and Formatting Settings
The most common reason tasks display a strikethrough is because they have been marked as inactive or completed in your project settings.
Microsoft Project automatically applies a greyed-out and strikethrough text style to tasks that are marked as inactive. This helps project managers keep historical records without affecting the current schedule or resource allocation. Checking these attributes is the quickest way to resolve unexpected formatting.
Select the affected task, right-click, and choose 'Information'. Under the 'General' tab, ensure the 'Inactive' checkbox is unchecked.
Look at the '% Complete' column for the affected tasks. If a task is marked as 100% complete, it may trigger a custom strikethrough format depending on your specific view settings.
Navigate to the 'Format' tab on the ribbon and click 'Text Styles'. In the 'Item to Change' drop-down list, check the formatting applied to 'Inactive Tasks' or 'Marked Tasks' to see if a strikethrough is being applied globally.
Inspect External Project Links and Status Dates
Broken links to external project files or severely shifted baseline dates can cause tasks to behave erratically or appear inactive.
Run an Online Repair for Microsoft Office
If formatting settings are correct but the issue persists, your Microsoft Office or Project installation may have corrupted files causing display glitches.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do tasks suddenly become struck through in Microsoft Project?
This typically occurs when a task is toggled to 'Inactive' or marked as 100% complete, triggering a predefined text style. It can also happen if custom formatting has been applied directly to the task rows.
What does an inactive task mean in MS Project?
An inactive task remains in your project plan for historical or record-keeping purposes but no longer affects project scheduling, resource availability, or cost calculations. They are visually distinguished by being greyed out with a strikethrough.
Can a corrupted project file cause formatting issues?
Yes, file corruption or conflicts caused by missing external links can lead to unexpected visual glitches. Opening a backup copy of the file or running an Office Online Repair can often resolve these anomalies.
