Project Professional 2013: Download, Install & Activation Guide

Project Professional 2013 is still used by teams with older project files, company templates or Project Server 2013 environments. It offers Gantt charts, resource management, reports and team planning in a familiar ribbon interface. However, Microsoft ended extended support for Project 2013 on 11 April 2023. It still installs and activates, but it gets no security updates, fixes or Microsoft technical support. Microsoft has also removed Project 2013 from its online download portals. This guide covers the safe, legitimate way to install and activate it today.

The process has three stages: get a genuine installer, install with your product key, and activate online or by telephone. Allow about 20 minutes in total. Most problems come from leftover versions of Project or a mismatch between 32-bit and 64-bit Office, and both are covered below.

What you need before you start

• Your Project 2013 Professional key from your Softkeyworld order email
• The official Microsoft download link we send with the order, or your own original installation disc or ISO
• A Windows PC with administrator rights
• An internet connection for online activation (telephone activation is the fallback)
• No newer Click-to-Run Project installed on the same PC (see compatibility below)

System requirements

Component	Minimum requirement
Operating system	Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1, Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012. It generally also runs on Windows 10, but was never officially tested on Windows 11
Processor	1 GHz or faster, x86 or x64 with SSE2
Memory	1 GB RAM (32-bit), 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
Disk space	3 GB available
Display	1024 × 576 or higher
Graphics	DirectX 10 graphics card for hardware acceleration
.NET	.NET Framework 3.5, 4.0 or 4.5

Compatibility note: Project 2013 (version 15.0) can usually sit alongside newer Office versions (16.0). You cannot install two different Project versions on one PC, so uninstall any other Project edition first. Always match the bitness (32-bit or 64-bit) of any existing Office.

Prepare the PC

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Control Panel > Programs and Features on Windows 7/8.1) and uninstall any other version of Project, including trials and the Project Online desktop client. Restart afterwards.
2. Run Windows Update so the PC has the latest Visual C++ runtimes and .NET components. On Windows 10 and 11, turn on .NET Framework 3.5 from Turn Windows features on or off if setup asks for it.
3. Check that the clock, date and time zone are correct. Incorrect date and time settings are a common cause of activation failures.
4. Create a System Restore point so you can roll back easily if anything goes wrong.

Step 1: Download Project Professional 2013

Microsoft no longer offers Office 2013-family downloads, including Project 2013, through the Microsoft 365 portal or setup.office.com. Here is how to get a genuine installer:

1. Use the link in your order email. Softkeyworld sends an official Microsoft-hosted installer link with every Project 2013 order. Download the file to your Downloads folder.
2. Bought from the Microsoft Store in the past? Check your order history at account.microsoft.com/billing/orders. If Project 2013 appears there, select Install.
3. Have the original disc or ISO? You can install from that. A genuine Project 2013 Professional key works with official media of the matching edition.
4. Choose 32-bit or 64-bit to match any Office already on the PC. Microsoft recommended 32-bit for Project 2013 unless you work with very large project files.
5. Do not use torrent sites or unofficial ISO mirrors. These are a common source of tampered installers and malware. If you have lost your link, email support@softkeyworld.com with your order number.

Step 2: Install Project Professional 2013

1. Close all Office programs and temporarily pause any third-party antivirus that blocks installers.
2. If the download is an .iso or .img, right-click it and choose Mount. On Windows 7, use the disc or an extraction tool.
3. Run setup.exe and accept the User Account Control prompt.
4. Enter your 25-character product key when asked and click Continue.
5. Accept the Microsoft Software License Terms.
6. Click Install Now for a standard installation, or Customise to change the install location or features.
7. When setup finishes, click Close and open Project 2013 from the Start menu.

Step 3: Activate Project Professional 2013

Activate online from Project

1. Open Project 2013. The activation wizard usually appears on first launch.
2. If it does not appear, go to File > Account and click Activate Product.
3. Choose I want to activate the software over the Internet and click Next.

Activate from the command line

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Go to the Office 2013 folder: cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15". For 32-bit Project on 64-bit Windows, use cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15".
3. Install your key (only needed if you skipped it during setup): cscript ospp.vbs /inpkey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
4. Activate: cscript ospp.vbs /act

Telephone activation

If online activation fails, run the activation wizard again and choose I want to activate the software by telephone. Select your country and follow the instructions to exchange your installation ID for a confirmation ID. The process works the same way as for later versions; our telephone activation walkthrough shows each screen. Microsoft's phone options for older products have changed over time, so if the wizard offers no working number, contact us and we will help you finish activation.

Verify activation

• Open Project and go to File > Account. Product Information should read Product Activated – Microsoft Project Professional 2013.
• From the Office15 folder, run cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus and check that the Project licence shows ---LICENSED--- with the last five characters of your key.

After installation: install the final updates

Microsoft stopped releasing new fixes in April 2023, but all updates released before then are still available through Microsoft Update. To get them:

1. Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options and turn on Receive updates for other Microsoft products.
2. Click Check for updates and install all Office/Project 2013 updates offered. The last service pack for Project 2013 is Service Pack 1.
3. Restart the PC, open Project and confirm it still shows as activated.

First steps in Project Professional 2013

Once Project is activated, these quick settings save time later:

• Set your working calendar. Go to Project > Change Working Time and enter your organisation's hours and UK bank holidays, so task durations and finish dates are calculated correctly.
• Choose the default task mode. New tasks are manually scheduled by default. If you want Project to calculate dates for you, switch to Auto Scheduled on the status bar or under File > Options > Schedule.
• Set up your resources. Use the Resource Sheet view to add people, equipment and costs before you assign them to tasks.
• Save a template. When a plan structure works well, use File > Save As > Project Template to reuse it.

Using Project 2013 safely today

An out-of-support program is not automatically unsafe, but it is more exposed. Keep Windows and your antivirus up to date, leave Protected View on for files from the internet or email, and avoid opening .mpp files from unknown senders. Project 2013 works best as a stand-alone planner with local files. Connections to modern cloud services such as Project Online are no longer supported. If your organisation has strict compliance rules about supported software, choose a current version.

Reinstalling or moving to a new PC

Keep your key and order email safe. To move Project 2013, uninstall it from the old computer, install it on the new one using the steps above, and activate. If online activation reports that the key has already been used, use telephone activation. Our software download and activation page lists what to include if you need us to resend your installer link.

Troubleshooting common errors

Error or message	What it means	Fix
"The product key you entered cannot be used with this version"	The key and installer editions do not match (for example Standard media with a Professional key)	Install Project Professional 2013 media of the matching type (retail or volume). Contact support for the correct link.
0xC004F050	The key is invalid for the installed product	Re-enter the key with /inpkey and check the edition with /dstatus.
0xC004C003 or 0xC004C060	The activation server rejected the key	Check for typos, then try telephone activation or email support@softkeyworld.com.
0xC004C008	The key has reached its online activation limit	Use telephone activation.
0xC004F074	Project is looking for a KMS host	Replace the generic key with yours using /inpkey, then run /act.
"Setup has detected another version of Project"	Another Project version is already installed	Uninstall the other Project from Settings > Apps, restart, and run setup again.
0x80070005	Access denied	Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Still stuck?

Send support@softkeyworld.com a screenshot of the error, the output of cscript ospp.vbs /dstatus from the Office15 folder, and your Windows version. This shows us the installed edition, bitness and licence state, so we can usually give you the right fix in one reply. Faulty keys are covered by our 7-day return policy.

Frequently asked questions

Is Project 2013 still supported by Microsoft?

No. According to Microsoft's Project 2013 lifecycle page, extended support ended in April 2023 (11 April 2023, Pacific Time). The program still works, but receives no security updates.

Can I download Project 2013 from setup.office.com?

No. Microsoft removed Office 2013, Project 2013 and Visio 2013 from its online download portals. Use the official link in your order email or your original media.

Will Project 2013 run on Windows 10 or 11?

It generally installs and runs on Windows 10. Windows 11 was released after Project 2013 support ended, so Microsoft never certified it there, although many users run it without problems.

Can I open newer Project files in Project 2013?

Project 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024 share the same .mpp file format, so files generally open in both directions. Features added in newer versions may not display in 2013.

Can I install Project 2013 alongside Office 2021 or Microsoft 365?

Usually yes, because they are different major versions. Make sure the bitness matches and that no other Project version is installed.

Should I upgrade instead?

If security updates matter to you, yes. Our Project 2019 Professional installation guide covers a newer option, and Project 2024 is supported until 2029.

Get Project Professional 2013

If you need Project 2013 for legacy files, an older Project Server or a familiar workflow, Softkeyworld delivers a genuine key by email straight after payment, with the official installer link. If anything goes wrong during setup or activation, contact support@softkeyworld.com and we will help you finish.

Get your Project 2013 Professional key