As of May 2nd, 2025, Microsoft Project for the Web is officially being retired and transformed into Planner for the Web. This transition will occur over the next few months, and we provide further insights within this article. 

With the numerous Microsoft task and project management apps available in Microsoft 365, it can be confusing to decide which one to use for which purpose. To streamline the apps and user experience while incorporating Copilot AI-driven productivity features, Microsoft has decided to merge the simplicity of Microsoft Planner with the power of Project for the Web. 

No, there will essentially be two high-level variants of Planner:

• Planner 'Basic' Plan: Included as standard in Microsoft 365, designed for small teams. 

• Planner 'Premium' Plan: Replaces Project for the Web and provides wider scheduling capabilities through the following licensing plans: 
  • Planner Plan 1
  • Planner and Project Plan 3
  • Planner and Project Plan 5

Additionally, there's a distinction between the Planner experiences: 

• Planner for the Web: Designed for enterprise power users and PMOs, accessible outside of Microsoft Teams via web browser, and integrated with Power Apps like Accelerator+. 

• Planner in Teams: Designed for smaller teams managing simple projects and initiatives. 

Project for the Web and the new Planner for the Web offer nearly identical functionality. Therefore, while there will be a slight change/upgrade in scheduling experience, there's no other impact: 

• Migration: Expect an automated, seamless transition. 

• Licensing: Your existing licenses will work, no changes. 

• Customizations: If you are using Accelerator+, you will see a switch from Project to Planner for the Web with no disruption or impact to your projects or associated data. 

The switchover is expected to complete by September 2025. By early August, users opening Project for the Web will be redirected to Planner for the Web via the following link: https://planner.cloud.microsoft/.

Users of the Accelerator+ solution will be contacted and provided with specific readiness instructions. 

Although feature changes are anticipated, Project Online will continue to receive active support from Microsoft. Currently, there has been no formal announcement regarding retirement dates, which is positive news for existing users. We will update our existing customers about the upcoming Project Online changes and provide readiness guidance. 

If you're looking to transition from basic Microsoft Planner or spreadsheets to a fully featured PMO solution powered entirely through native Microsoft 365 apps, we can help! We were recently recognized as one of the world's leading Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management partners. Just take a quick peek at our case studies!