Quick summary
The critical path in Microsoft Project is the sequence of dependent tasks that determines your project's earliest completion date. By enabling Critical Tasks highlighting in the Gantt Chart Format tab, project managers can instantly see which tasks cannot slip without delaying the project end date.
Steps
- Open your Microsoft Project file and confirm you are in the Gantt Chart view.
- Navigate to the Gantt Chart Format tab in the ribbon at the top of your screen to access critical path display options.
- Find and check the Critical Tasks checkbox to tell Project to highlight all tasks on the critical path.
- Review your Gantt chart — critical path tasks now appear in red, showing every task that directly impacts your project end date.
