Is the United Kingdom switching from Windows to Linux?
Not yet. In January 2026 the Open Rights Group warned that the UK relies too heavily on US tech firms such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Palantir and urged the government to follow Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark in backing open standards and open-source software. No UK government commitment to Linux has followed.
Scope: UK central government. Updated Oct 6, 2026.
What operating system does UK government use?
- US cloud and Microsoft software
The report says critical public-sector systems lean heavily on US providers.
The United Kingdom’s Linux timeline
- Jan 2026
The Open Rights Group urges the UK to reduce dependence on US tech giants and back open-source software.
What is still unclear
This is a general picture, not a measurement.
- The calls come from a campaign group, not from government policy.
Could the United Kingdom switch to Linux in the future?
No move is confirmed. These are the signals that would show a change:
- A UK digital-sovereignty strategy that names open-source software
- A department piloting Linux desktops
Sources
The United Kingdom: common questions
Is the UK switching to Linux?
No government move has been announced. The Open Rights Group urged it in January 2026 to follow European peers.
Will the UK use Linux in the future?
Possibly, if sovereignty concerns grow. A government strategy or a departmental pilot would be the first sign.
Other countries
Want to try it yourself? Read how to switch from Windows to Linux.