Project Professional 2024 says "activated the maximum number of times" after moving to a new VMware Fusion VM

Verify Project Professional 2024 under the Microsoft account that originally redeemed it, retire the old VM’s Project copy, and then use Microsoft’s Product Activation Portal because entering the key online has already reached the activation limit.

Transfer a retail Project Professional 2024 license

1. Verify the Project entitlement
   • Sign out of the Microsoft 365 website, then sign in using the Microsoft account that owns Project, not the account that owns Microsoft 365.
   • Open Services & subscriptions and confirm that Project Professional 2024 appears.
   • Select Install for that specific Project entitlement if installation is needed. A redeemed key is linked to that account and normally is not redeemed again. ^1^
2. Retire the old installation
   • If the Parallels VM remains accessible, uninstall Project from it.
   • If it is inaccessible and will never be used again, remove the VM or its virtual disk through Parallels after backing up any required data. Deleting a VM permanently erases its applications and files.
   • Remove or render unusable any bootable clones or archived VM copies that retain Project. Transfer terms require that the prior software copy not be retained. ^2^
   Uninstalling or deleting the old VM addresses the prior-copy requirement, but it does not necessarily clear the server-side activation limit.
3. Request activation through the Product Activation Portal
   • Open https://visualsupport.microsoft.com.
   • Complete the CAPTCHA and sign in.
   • Select Activate a Microsoft Product.
   • Choose Project and Project Professional 2024, then provide the installation information requested by the portal.
   • If offered, use Live chat so Microsoft can validate the entitlement and transfer eligibility. Microsoft may request purchase or licensing details.
   The portal supports retail, OEM, volume, and CSP perpetual products when normal online activation fails. The account used to enter the portal is only for secure portal access—it does not change or reassign the Microsoft account that owns Project. ^3^

Check the applicable transfer terms

Microsoft’s Office 2024 transfer guidance documents a limit of one transfer every 90 days, except when hardware failure permits an earlier transfer. However, that page is framed around one-time-purchase Office editions, not explicitly standalone Project Professional 2024. Check the terms applicable to your Project purchase before assuming the same exception applies:

Project → File → Account → About Project → View the Microsoft Software License Terms

If the portal rejects the transfer because of timing or license type, use its support option for a license review rather than repeatedly entering the key.

Using a different account for Project

The two products can remain owned by different accounts:

• Keep Microsoft 365 associated with its existing Microsoft 365 account.
• Use the separate Project-owning Microsoft account when downloading, reinstalling, or activating Project.
• In Project, open File → Account and sign in or add the Project-owning account if activation requests an account. Office accounts identify which account owns the relevant license. ^4^
• Do not try to redeem the Project key under the Microsoft 365 account. A redeemed key is already associated with its original account.

The account shown for cloud services such as OneDrive can be different from the account owning Project; the decisive check is whether Project Professional 2024 appears under the owning account’s products.

If Project is not a normal retail purchase

Use the matching branch instead:

• Microsoft Workplace Discount Program: Start Project, select I don’t want to sign in or create an account, and enter the Workplace Discount Program key. This workflow specifically applies to Project Professional. ^5^
• Organization-provided volume license/MAK: Contact the organization’s licensing administrator. MAK keys have preset activation counts; an authorized volume-license administrator can request an exception or increase through the Product Activation Portal’s Volume License Key Management option. ^6^
• Third-party key not listed in any Microsoft account: Contact the seller. Microsoft documents third-party key problems as a separate purchase channel rather than an account-linked retail reinstall. ^1^

References

1. Install Project | Microsoft Support
2. Transfer your Office license to another device or another person | Microsoft Support
3. Activate Microsoft perpetual products using the Product Activation portal
4. About accounts in Office | Microsoft Support
5. Where to enter your Office product key | Microsoft Support
6. Find and use product keys for volume licensing