How to open Project files in sharepoint?

Thanks Lia,

That's the thing, my manager mentioned he added me to the Project license, yet I can download it anywhere to activate it.

Hi @Noe Cortes Vazquez,

Thank you for your detailed response.

It sounds like you're trying to access a Microsoft Project (.mpp) file shared via SharePoint, but you're unable to open it due to licensing and app limitations. While you do see a "Project" app in your Microsoft 365 portal, it currently opens Planner, which is a separate tool and doesn’t support .mpp files.

To open .mpp files, your organization would need a license for Microsoft Project, specifically one of the following plans:

• Project Plan 3: includes access to the Microsoft Project desktop app, which is required to open and edit .mpp files.
• Project Plan 5: offers advanced project and portfolio management features, also includes the desktop app.

Here are a few suggestions to move forward:

1. Check with your IT team or manager to confirm whether your organization has a Microsoft Project license and if it can be assigned to you.
2. If someone on your team has Project installed, they may be able to open the file and share the content in a more accessible format (e.g., PDF or Excel).

I hope this information proves helpful. If the mentioned methods haven’t been effective, please feel free to let me know. I would be happy to explore the issue further with you so that we can work toward an appropriate solution.

If you found this answer helpful, we’d appreciate it if you could mark it as the accepted answer. Once marked, it will appear at the top, making it easier for others in the community to find the right information quickly. Your contribution can really help others who are facing similar challenges.

Thank you very much, and I wish you a great day.

Thanks for the support Lia,

Regarding your recommendations and questions:

• Are you trying to open the file directly from SharePoint in your browser, or are you opening it from the desktop version of Microsoft Project?

I'm in the US so not sure if it's regional but I can't download MS Project (desktop App)

Looking into it, at least on my case it says Project was discontinued.

• Did the error occur immediately when clicking the file, or after it tried to launch Microsoft Project? R: When in sharepoint, when I click the Open option it downloads the .mpp file, however for obvious reasons I can't open it since I can't download Project.
• If there's an error message during the opening attempt, could you share a screenshot of the error message you're seeing? R: If I go to my M365 cloud, there's a MS Project App, however when I open it, it Opens the Planner App, which to me at least only works to create a file, because there is not an option to open the downloaded .mpp file.

Hi @Noe Cortes Vazquez,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. 

I understand you're encountering difficulties opening a Microsoft Project (.mpp) file that was shared via SharePoint.

To better assess and address the issue you're experiencing, could you kindly provide the following details: 

• Are you trying to open the file directly from SharePoint in your browser, or are you opening it from the desktop version of Microsoft Project?
• Did the error occur immediately when clicking the file, or after it tried to launch Microsoft Project?
• If there's an error message during the opening attempt, could you share a screenshot of the error message you're seeing?

Once I have a clearer understanding of your current situation, I’ll be happy to assist you with greater accuracy. Please feel free to share any additional details you believe are relevant.

In the meantime, here are some workarounds you can try to open your Project file: 

1/ Download the Project file from SharePoint: 

Go to your SharePoint site and locate your Project file

Click the three-dot menu next to the file > select Download

Open the downloaded file and check if the issue persists.

2/ Open the file using Microsoft Project desktop:

Launch Project on your device > Select Open

Navigate to and click Sites > select the site where the file is stored > Click on the file and open it.

Note: Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

I hope this helps resolve the issue with opening your Project file. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.

If you find my post helpful, kindly consider marking it as the accepted answer. Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.   

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.