diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 8079135a57..3d2367ba79 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ This document is intended for Spotless developers.
 We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (starting after version `1.27.0`).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Changes
+* Bump default `ktlint` version to latest `1.7.1` -> `1.8.0`. ([2763](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/pull/2763))
 
 ## [4.1.0] - 2025-11-18
 ### Changes
diff --git a/lib/build.gradle b/lib/build.gradle
index 517bb72cd6..c3b26a91c7 100644
--- a/lib/build.gradle
+++ b/lib/build.gradle
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ dependencies {
 		}
 	}
 	// ktlint latest supported version
-	compatKtLint1Dot0Dot0CompileAndTestOnly 'com.pinterest.ktlint:ktlint-rule-engine:1.0.0'
-	compatKtLint1Dot0Dot0CompileAndTestOnly 'com.pinterest.ktlint:ktlint-ruleset-standard:1.0.0'
+	compatKtLint1Dot0Dot0CompileAndTestOnly 'com.pinterest.ktlint:ktlint-rule-engine:1.8.0'
+	compatKtLint1Dot0Dot0CompileAndTestOnly 'com.pinterest.ktlint:ktlint-ruleset-standard:1.8.0'
 	compatKtLint1Dot0Dot0CompileAndTestOnly 'org.slf4j:slf4j-api:2.0.17'
 	// palantirJavaFormat
 	palantirJavaFormatCompileOnly 'com.palantir.javaformat:palantir-java-format:1.1.0' 	// this version needs to stay compilable against Java 8 for CI Job testNpm
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/kotlin/KtLintStep.java b/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/kotlin/KtLintStep.java
index c022af784d..1da50be59e 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/kotlin/KtLintStep.java
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/com/diffplug/spotless/kotlin/KtLintStep.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 public final class KtLintStep implements Serializable {
 	@Serial
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-	private static final String DEFAULT_VERSION = "1.7.1";
+	private static final String DEFAULT_VERSION = "1.8.0";
 	private static final String NAME = "ktlint";
 	private static final String MAVEN_COORDINATE_0_DOT = "com.pinterest:ktlint:";
 	private static final String MAVEN_COORDINATE_1_DOT = "com.pinterest.ktlint:ktlint-cli:";
diff --git a/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md b/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
index ff792de588..69fda0c00f 100644
--- a/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
+++ b/plugin-gradle/CHANGES.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (starting after version `3.27.0`).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Changes
+* Bump default `ktlint` version to latest `1.7.1` -> `1.8.0`. ([2763](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/pull/2763))
 
 ## [8.1.0] - 2025-11-18
 ### Changes
diff --git a/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md b/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md
index caff25c9d3..5160f610e8 100644
--- a/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md
+++ b/plugin-maven/CHANGES.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 We adhere to the [keepachangelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/) format (starting after version `1.27.0`).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Changes
+* Bump default `ktlint` version to latest `1.7.1` -> `1.8.0`. ([2763](https://github.com/diffplug/spotless/pull/2763))
 
 ## [3.1.0] - 2025-11-18
 ### Changes