Is Brazil switching from Windows to Linux?
Not yet for desktops. Brazil’s federal government has put digital sovereignty on its agenda: it is building a national cloud around data, operational and technological sovereignty, with state IT company Serpro involved. Press reports also describe Serpro negotiating Microsoft’s entry into that sovereign cloud, so the direction is not a clear break with Microsoft.
Scope: Federal government, via Serpro and the sovereign cloud project. Updated Oct 6, 2026.
What operating system does Brazilian federal government use?
- Sovereign cloud
A national cloud project coordinated with the productive sector; Serpro supplies technical requirements.
Brazil’s Linux timeline
- 2026
The federal government advances a sovereign-cloud project built on data, operational and technological sovereignty.
What is still unclear
This is a general picture, not a measurement.
- Press coverage mixes cloud sovereignty with open-source advocacy; neither confirms a Linux desktop migration.
- Serpro’s talks with Microsoft cut against a full break.
Could Brazil switch to Linux in the future?
No move is confirmed. These are the signals that would show a change:
- A federal decree requiring open-source or Linux for government desktops
- Serpro publishing a Linux-based government workstation
Sources
Brazil: common questions
Is Brazil switching to Linux?
We found no confirmed federal move from Windows to Linux desktops. Brazil is building a sovereign cloud with Serpro, which could change what software the state runs.
Will Brazil use Linux in the future?
It is possible. Digital sovereignty is now a stated policy goal, and a federal software decision would be the signal to watch.
Other countries
Want to try it yourself? Read how to switch from Windows to Linux.