Microsoft Project Online Retirement – Official Announcement

Microsoft has confirmed the Microsoft Project Online retirement timeline. The Microsoft Project Online retirement date is September 30, 2026. That gives PMOs time to plan, but it is smart to start now.

If you saw the Microsoft Project Online retirement announcement or heard that Microsoft Project Online is retiring, you may be looking for straight answers. What changes first? What needs to be backed up? What should your teams use next?

Some people describe this as Microsoft Project Online discontinued. Microsoft describes it as a scheduled retirement with continued operation until the deadline. This guide walks through the timeline and the practical steps to reduce risk.

What Is Microsoft Project Online Retirement?

Microsoft Project Online retirement means Microsoft will shut down the Project Online service. After retirement, the service will no longer be available, and you will no longer be able to access projects or service data stored in Project Online.

This retirement applies to Project Online, sometimes used with Project Web App (PWA) in the browser. It does not mean Microsoft is ending project management tools across Microsoft 365. Microsoft states the change does not affect Project Desktop, Planner (basic and premium capabilities), or Project Server Subscription Edition.

If your team uses Project Online as a system of record, treat this as more than a licensing change. Many organizations use it for portfolio visibility, resourcing, approvals, and reporting. Those dependencies are what you need to map before you move.

When Is Microsoft Project Online Retiring?

Microsoft says Project Online will officially retire on September 30, 2026. That is the Microsoft Project Online retirement date you should plan around. In the Microsoft Project Online retirement announcement, Microsoft also lists earlier milestones that affect purchasing and tenant creation.

Microsoft also published earlier milestones that affect new purchases and tenant setup:

• October 1, 2025: End of sale for Project Online-only SKUs for new customers.
• April 2026: Existing customers will no longer be able to create new Project Online tenants.
• September 30, 2026: Official retirement date. Project Online will no longer be available.

If you are trying to explain Microsoft Project Online retirement to leadership, say it this way: Microsoft expects your current environment to continue running until the retirement date, but you should not plan new long-term investments on the platform.

Why Is Microsoft Retiring Project Online?

Microsoft’s published direction is to move customers toward modern work management experiences in Microsoft 365. Microsoft has been consolidating planning experiences into Microsoft Planner, including retiring Project for the web and redirecting users to Planner for the web and Planner in Teams.

In the Project Online retirement guidance, Microsoft points customers to options such as Planner, Project Server Subscription Edition, Dynamics 365 Project Operations, and Project desktop. That signals where Microsoft expects most teams to land, depending on how they manage work today.

From a customer standpoint, the best approach is not to debate the “why” too long. The retirement is scheduled. Your job is to reduce risk, keep reporting stable, and move teams with the least disruption.

How Microsoft Project Online Retirement/End of Life Impacts Your Organization

Many people use the phrase Microsoft Project Online end of life to describe the business impact, not just the technical shutdown. The real impact depends on how your Project Online instance is used across the organization.

Here are the areas to evaluate first.

1. Access and Continuity

Microsoft states that after Project Online retires, the service will no longer be available and you will no longer be able to access projects or data stored there. If Project Online is where your project managers update schedules and publish status, you need a replacement that supports daily execution and portfolio visibility.

2. Reporting and Analytics

Even if your teams can switch tools quickly, reporting often takes longer. Dashboards that pull from Project Online fields can break after retirement. Build a list of the reports that matter most and identify the data sources behind them.

3. Integrations and Automation

Many environments rely on integrations and automation, such as custom fields, approvals, or connectors into reporting tools. Identify anything that depends on Project Online endpoints, and decide whether it will be rebuilt, replaced, or retired.

4. Workflow Deadlines that Can Arrive Earlier

Some Project Online environments still depend on older workflow patterns in related processes. Microsoft has stated that SharePoint 2013 workflow will be removed from existing tenants on April 2, 2026. If you still use SharePoint 2013 workflows for approvals or automation, you may need to modernize that portion before the final Project Online retirement date.

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What Will Stop Working?

After the Microsoft Project Online retirement date, Project Online will no longer be available. Microsoft states you will not be able to access projects or associated data in the service after retirement.

In practical terms, that can stop:

• Access to Project Online sites and Project Web App experiences
• Automated refresh of dashboards and datasets that depend on Project Online data
• Custom solutions that read or write Project Online fields
• Workflows or approvals that sit on top of Project Online processes

If you have compliance or audit retention needs, treat data retention as a first-class requirement. Decide what must be exported and where it will be stored for future access.

Common Risks If You Delay Action

Delaying action increases the odds of an expensive rush. If your organization still treats the platform as “not going anywhere,” clarify that microsoft project online discontinued is not accurate for today, but it will be true when the retirement date arrives.

The most common risks are:

1. Data Risk. Microsoft recommends backing up your projects and completing your transition before the retirement date to avoid disruption and potential data loss.
2. Workflow Surprises. If you depend on SharePoint 2013 workflows, the April 2, 2026 removal from existing tenants can create earlier disruption.
3. Portfolio Visibility Gaps. If teams migrate in different directions without a standard, executives lose consistent reporting and rollups.
4. Adoption Churn. If you wait too long, you may have to switch tools and processes at the same time, which creates resistance and training overload.

A simple risk reducer is a cutover policy. For example, set a date where new projects start in the new platform, while existing projects remain in Project Online until they close.

What Are Your Options After Project Online Retires?

There is no single replacement that fits every organization. Microsoft lists multiple options, and your best choice depends on how you plan, govern, and report work.

Option 1: Microsoft Planner (Basic and Premium Capabilities)

Planner is now Microsoft’s unified work management experience. Microsoft announced that Project for the web would be retired and users would be redirected to Planner, including Planner in Teams.

Planner can be a strong fit if your priority is modern work planning, collaboration, and a simpler user experience. It is often a good choice when teams can modernize processes instead of recreating every Project Online feature.

Option 2: Project Server Subscription Edition

If you need enterprise portfolio management and want to stay close to the Project Online governance model, Microsoft points to Project Server Subscription Edition as an option.

This path is common for organizations with strict PPM requirements, complex customizations, or a need to keep certain processes on premises.

Option 3: Dynamics 365 Project Operations

Microsoft also lists Dynamics 365 Project Operations as an option, especially where project delivery is closely tied to time tracking, resource scheduling, and financial controls. If your primary pain is project delivery and billing, this option may be a better fit than a planning-only tool.

Option 4: Project Desktop

Microsoft states Project desktop is not impacted by the retirement of Project Online. For some organizations, Project desktop remains part of the operating model while portfolio reporting and governance move elsewhere.

Note on Overlapping Support Timelines: If you are considering Project Server paths, watch lifecycle timelines too. Microsoft’s lifecycle page lists Project Server 2016 extended end date as July 14, 2026. That is close to the Project Online retirement date, so plan upgrades early if you run older server versions.

Conclusion

The microsoft project online retirement date is September 30, 2026, and Microsoft has published the timeline you should plan around. For many PMOs, microsoft project online end of life is also a governance and reporting challenge, not just an IT change.

Microsoft also states there is no immediate disruption for existing customers before that date, which gives you time to transition in a controlled way.

Treat Microsoft Project Online retirement as a modernization project. Start with an inventory. Decide what data must be kept. Choose the right replacement based on how your organization runs projects. Then move users in phases, with reporting and governance protected.

FAQs

What exactly is being retired?

Only Project Online is being retired. Microsoft states the change does not affect Project desktop, Planner (basic and premium capabilities), or Project Server Subscription Edition. Confirm your environment is Project Online and not Project Server before planning the transition path.

When is Project Online retiring?

Microsoft states Project Online will retire on September 30, 2026. It also lists October 1, 2025 as the end of sale for Project Online-only SKUs for new customers, and April 2026 as the point when existing customers cannot create new tenants.

What will replace a project online?

Microsoft points to several options, including Planner (basic and premium capabilities), Project Server Subscription Edition, Dynamics 365 Project Operations, and Project desktop. The best replacement depends on whether you need team execution, portfolio governance, delivery financials, or a mix across the organization.

Will my current projects in Project Online stop working before the official retirement date?

Microsoft says there is no immediate disruption and your current Project Online environment should continue to function as expected until the retirement date. Even so, Microsoft recommends planning the transition and backing up project data before retirement to avoid disruption and data loss.

Can I continue using Project desktop?

Yes. Microsoft states Project desktop is not impacted by Project Online retirement. Many teams keep it for scheduling while they move portfolio reporting and governance off Project Online. Confirm licensing and how schedules will be shared or reported in the new setup.

What happens to my Project Online projects at the end of September 2026?

After September 30, 2026, Project Online will no longer be available. Microsoft states you will no longer be able to access projects or any associated data stored in the service. Back up what you must keep and complete your transition before the deadline.

I’m an existing customer of Project Online, when will I stop being able to create new tenants?

Microsoft states that in April 2026, existing customers will no longer be able to create new Project Online tenants. If you were planning expansion or new environments, shift that work to your replacement platform so you avoid rework later in 2026.

What is happening to Project Server 2016 and Project Server 2019?

Microsoft’s lifecycle pages list an extended end date of July 14, 2026 for both Project Server 2016 and Project Server 2019. If you run older Project Server versions, plan an upgrade path early so your migration does not collide with support deadlines.