Step by step
- Decide whether you need to read or to plan. If you only need to see tasks, dates, dependencies and who is assigned, a viewer is enough. If you need to reschedule or level resources, you need Project itself.
- Prefer local parsing to a converter. A converter site returns a flattened export and keeps a copy of a document that usually contains staffing and commercial detail.
- Open it in GanttPeek. Choose the MPP through Finder on Mac, or Apple’s document picker on iPhone and iPad. Nothing is uploaded.
- Share the parts that matter. Export tasks as CSV for a spreadsheet, or a schedule report as PDF for someone who just needs the dates.
What a viewer gives you, and what it does not
- You get task names, dates, durations, hierarchy, dependencies, resource identities and basic assignments.
- You get an offline read with no Microsoft account and no upload.
- You do not get editing, rescheduling, levelling or baseline comparison.
- You do not get the fields GanttPeek deliberately does not extract, which are listed below rather than glossed over.
Honest limits
Read this before you rely on it. GanttPeek states what it does not extract rather than presenting a partial read as a complete one.
- Read-only. GanttPeek does not modify or write MPP files.
- Baselines, progress, constraints, notes, real calendar exceptions, custom fields, resource capacity and costs, source critical-path flags and some assignment details are not extracted. The app shows a data note when these limits apply.
- Password-protected MPP files are not supported.
- Exact Project 2021, Project 2024 and Microsoft 365 origin cannot be distinguished within their shared binary family.
Questions
Can I open an MPP without any Microsoft software?
Yes. GanttPeek parses supported MPP files on device without Microsoft Project, a Microsoft 365 subscription or a Microsoft account.
Which MPP versions are supported?
MPP8, MPP9, MPP12 and MPP14 / Project 16.x files are supported.
Will I see the Gantt chart?
Yes. Tasks, hierarchy, dependencies and a Gantt timeline are rendered from the extracted schedule data.
Is a free online MPP viewer safe?
It requires uploading a schedule that typically names staff, rates and client commitments. A local viewer avoids that disclosure entirely.