diff --git a/examples/with-eslint/package.json b/examples/with-eslint/package.json
index e9eab360f8b63..a2977eecec192 100644
--- a/examples/with-eslint/package.json
+++ b/examples/with-eslint/package.json
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "next": "latest",
-    "react": "^17.0.2",
-    "react-dom": "^17.0.2"
+    "react": "^18.2.0",
+    "react-dom": "^18.2.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "eslint": "^7.24.0",
diff --git a/examples/with-mdx/package.json b/examples/with-mdx/package.json
index 7e2bee5fad391..dd2aeec334866 100644
--- a/examples/with-mdx/package.json
+++ b/examples/with-mdx/package.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "@mdx-js/react": "^1.6.18",
     "@next/mdx": "^9.1.1",
     "next": "latest",
-    "react": "^17.0.2",
-    "react-dom": "^17.0.2"
+    "react": "^18.2.0",
+    "react-dom": "^18.2.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/examples/with-next-sass/package.json b/examples/with-next-sass/package.json
index 3a5972bfdcb25..f488a52f871ca 100644
--- a/examples/with-next-sass/package.json
+++ b/examples/with-next-sass/package.json
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "next": "latest",
-    "react": "^17.0.2",
-    "react-dom": "^17.0.2",
+    "react": "^18.2.0",
+    "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
     "sass": "1.26.3"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/next/build/webpack-config.ts b/packages/next/build/webpack-config.ts
index f69e72299c5db..f29c22203b2d7 100644
--- a/packages/next/build/webpack-config.ts
+++ b/packages/next/build/webpack-config.ts
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ export default async function getBaseWebpackConfig(
   // Only error in first one compiler (client) once
   if (isClient) {
     if (!hasReactRoot) {
-      throw new Error('Next.js requires React 18 to be installed.')
+      throw new Error('Next.js requires React 18.2.0 to be installed.')
     }
   }