diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
index 1e81d0fa136..27ca7752677 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v3
         with:
-          go-version: 1.17
+          go-version: 1.18
       - name: Cache Go
         id: go-cache
         uses: actions/cache@v3
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ jobs:
   unittest:
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        go-version: [1.19, 1.18, 1.17]
+        go-version: [1.19, 1.18]
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [setup-environment]
     steps:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e44080cc930..549588002e7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
   - `component.WithTracesProcessor`
   - `component.WithMetricsProcessor`
   - `component.WithLogsProcessor`
+- Update minimum go version to 1.18 (#5795)
 
 ### 🚩 Deprecations 🚩
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index de254728b59..dbd6f9712ab 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ section of general project contributing guide.
 Working with the project sources requires the following tools:
 
 1. [git](https://git-scm.com/)
-2. [go](https://golang.org/) (version 1.17 and up)
+2. [go](https://golang.org/) (version 1.18 and up)
 3. [make](https://www.gnu.org/software/make/)
 4. [docker](https://www.docker.com/)
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ before merging (but see above paragraph about writing good commit messages in th
 
 ## General Notes
 
-This project uses Go 1.17.* and [Github Actions.](https://github.com/features/actions)
+This project uses Go 1.18.* and [Github Actions.](https://github.com/features/actions)
 
 It is recommended to run `make gofmt all` before submitting your PR
 
diff --git a/Makefile.Common b/Makefile.Common
index a5aa1c7dbf8..daf1e14dc87 100644
--- a/Makefile.Common
+++ b/Makefile.Common
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ fmt:
 .PHONY: tidy
 tidy:
 	rm -fr go.sum
-	$(GOCMD) mod tidy -compat=1.17
+	$(GOCMD) mod tidy -compat=1.18
 
 .PHONY: lint
 lint:
diff --git a/cmd/builder/go.mod b/cmd/builder/go.mod
index a7310b43892..d9ed8848d78 100644
--- a/cmd/builder/go.mod
+++ b/cmd/builder/go.mod
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 module go.opentelemetry.io/collector/cmd/builder
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	github.com/knadh/koanf v1.4.2
diff --git a/cmd/builder/internal/builder/main.go b/cmd/builder/internal/builder/main.go
index 3b28cc727a1..9646fa36497 100644
--- a/cmd/builder/internal/builder/main.go
+++ b/cmd/builder/internal/builder/main.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func Compile(cfg Config) error {
 // GetModules retrieves the go modules, updating go.mod and go.sum in the process
 func GetModules(cfg Config) error {
 	// #nosec G204
-	cmd := exec.Command(cfg.Distribution.Go, "mod", "tidy", "-compat=1.17")
+	cmd := exec.Command(cfg.Distribution.Go, "mod", "tidy", "-compat=1.18")
 	cmd.Dir = cfg.Distribution.OutputPath
 	if out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to update go.mod: %w. Output: %q", err, out)
diff --git a/cmd/builder/internal/builder/templates/go.mod.tmpl b/cmd/builder/internal/builder/templates/go.mod.tmpl
index 8fe6378765c..cf7da63559f 100644
--- a/cmd/builder/internal/builder/templates/go.mod.tmpl
+++ b/cmd/builder/internal/builder/templates/go.mod.tmpl
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 module {{.Distribution.Module}}
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	{{- range .Extensions}}
diff --git a/cmd/otelcorecol/go.mod b/cmd/otelcorecol/go.mod
index adaefb732ef..f353e409ca1 100644
--- a/cmd/otelcorecol/go.mod
+++ b/cmd/otelcorecol/go.mod
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 module go.opentelemetry.io/collector/cmd/otelcorecol
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.0
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index dabe32c827f..3ccdf896efc 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module go.opentelemetry.io/collector
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	contrib.go.opencensus.io/exporter/prometheus v0.4.1
diff --git a/internal/tools/go.mod b/internal/tools/go.mod
index 86a43592e79..70c2ea95b83 100644
--- a/internal/tools/go.mod
+++ b/internal/tools/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module go.opentelemetry.io/collector/internal/tools
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	github.com/client9/misspell v0.3.4
diff --git a/pdata/go.mod b/pdata/go.mod
index ea08e0b9d08..552e11234f2 100644
--- a/pdata/go.mod
+++ b/pdata/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module go.opentelemetry.io/collector/pdata
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2
diff --git a/semconv/go.mod b/semconv/go.mod
index fff34dec0f7..3b14367e4c0 100644
--- a/semconv/go.mod
+++ b/semconv/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module go.opentelemetry.io/collector/semconv
 
-go 1.17
+go 1.18
 
 require github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.0