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How to Switch from SharePoint to Project Permission Mode in PWA

Chanuka Geekiyanage Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to change the Project Web App (PWA) permission management from SharePoint Permission Mode to Project Permission Mode.

How to Switch from SharePoint to Project Permission Mode in PWA

Product: Project Web App (PWA)
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A PWA administrator is looking for the setting to change permission modes and wants to understand the impact on existing security groups and access.
Observed behavior: The setting is not available in the standard web UI and requires the administrator to use SharePoint PowerShell cmdlets to execute the transition.

Before you start

Ensure you have the required SharePoint administrator permissions and understand that switching permission modes will delete all current SharePoint-based security group mappings, requiring you to configure them from scratch.

Solution 1Recommended

Use SharePoint PowerShell to Change Permission Mode

The supported method to switch from SharePoint Permission Mode to Project Permission Mode is by running the Set-SPProjectPermissionMode PowerShell cmdlet.

In modern versions of Project Server and Project Web App, the option to toggle permission modes was removed from the web interface. Administrators must now use the SharePoint Management Shell to make this structural change to the PWA instance.

Open SharePoint Management Shell

Log in to your SharePoint server as an administrator. Search for and launch the 'SharePoint Management Shell' application with elevated privileges (Run as Administrator).

Execute the Permission Mode Cmdlet

Type the following command, replacing the URL with your specific PWA instance address: Set-SPProjectPermissionMode -Url http://[YourServer]/[PWA] -Mode ProjectServer

Press Enter to Apply

Hit Enter to run the cmdlet. Wait for the process to complete. The system will drop the existing SharePoint permission mappings and apply the Project Server security structure.

Reconfigure Permissions

Log into PWA using an account that has Project Server administrator rights. Navigate to PWA Settings > Security to manually recreate your security groups, categories, and user permissions.

Use SharePoint PowerShell to Change Permission Mode

Loss of Previous Settings: When you switch permission modes, all previously configured security settings are permanently cleared. You must actively recreate your access controls in the new Project Permission Mode before users can resume normal operations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch back to SharePoint Permission Mode later?

Yes, you can use the same PowerShell cmdlet and change the Mode parameter to 'SharePoint'. However, just like the initial switch, you will lose all current permission configurations and will need to set up your SharePoint groups again.

Why can't I find the permission mode switch in PWA settings?

Microsoft removed the user interface option to switch permission modes in newer versions of Project Server and SharePoint. It is now treated as an administrative backend task that requires PowerShell to prevent accidental security resets.

Do I lose my project data when changing permission modes?

No. Your actual project data, schedules, tasks, and resource assignments remain completely intact. Only the security configurations, user groups, and access permissions are reset during the transition.

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