Brazil's internet penetration exceeds 90% for the first time

For the first time, more than 90% of Brazilians are using the internet, with the figure reaching 90.5% of the population in 2025. This milestone, detailed in a study released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), was largely propelled by a significant increase in internet access among older adults and residents of rural areas.

The study revealed that 168.7 million Brazilians over the age of 10 used the internet last year, predominantly through mobile phones. Daily internet usage is widespread, with 95.6% of users connecting every day. The percentage of internet users has steadily climbed since 2016, when it stood at 66%, though the pace of growth has slowed, increasing by only 1.3 percentage points from 89.2% in 2024 to 90.5% in 2025.

Internet penetration among Brazilians aged 60 and over saw a notable rise, from 70.1% in 2024 to 74.5% in 2025, a substantial jump from 44.9% in 2019. Conversely, internet usage among children aged 10 to 13 slightly decreased from 84.9% in 2024 to 84.4% in 2025. This decline was attributed by the IBGE to increased parental concerns about children's online exposure. Consequently, mobile phone ownership among this age group also fell from 56.7% in 2024 to 55.2% in 2025.

Improved internet access in rural regions also contributed to the overall increase. The digital divide between urban and rural internet usage narrowed considerably, shrinking from a 37.5 percentage point difference in 2016 to just 8.5 percentage points last year. Despite this progress, 17.7 million Brazilians over 10 years old (9.5%) still do not use the internet, and 19.1 million (10.2%) lack a mobile phone. A significant portion of those without internet access, particularly individuals over 60, cited a lack of knowledge on how to use it as a primary reason.