diff --git a/MODULE.bazel b/MODULE.bazel
index cb7269dc976ad..9fca10dc0fc65 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/MODULE.bazel
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ bazel_dep(name = "abseil-cpp", version = "20250814.2")
 # The name "com_google_protobuf" is internally used by @bazel_tools,
 # a native repository we cannot override.
 # See https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-cpp/issues/15393
-bazel_dep(name = "protobuf", version = "35.1", repo_name = "com_google_protobuf")
+bazel_dep(name = "protobuf", version = "36.0", repo_name = "com_google_protobuf")
 bazel_dep(name = "boringssl", version = "0.20251124.0")
 bazel_dep(name = "nlohmann_json", version = "3.12.0.bcr.1")
 bazel_dep(name = "curl", version = "8.8.0.bcr.3")
diff --git a/bazel/workspace0.bzl b/bazel/workspace0.bzl
index 4ac6a8de16b93..33bfd2864a9e7 100644
--- a/bazel/workspace0.bzl
+++ b/bazel/workspace0.bzl
@@ -171,10 +171,10 @@ def gl_cpp_workspace0(name = None):
         http_archive,
         name = "com_google_protobuf",
         urls = [
-            "https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v31.1.tar.gz",
+            "https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz",
         ],
-        sha256 = "c3a0a9ece8932e31c3b736e2db18b1c42e7070cd9b881388b26d01aa71e24ca2",
-        strip_prefix = "protobuf-31.1",
+        sha256 = "d120933b88a2857c1b5fb6dafe387cca1b96762c2263cb53d945dcae34e88a3f",
+        strip_prefix = "protobuf-36.0",
     )
 
     # Load BoringSSL. This could be automatically loaded by gRPC. But as of
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bookworm.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bookworm.Dockerfile
index d387fa6a682da..8f22a10902a66 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bookworm.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bookworm.Dockerfile
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/archive/20250814.2.tar.gz |
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bullseye.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bullseye.Dockerfile
index 99f05263085cf..bfc21511e9e1b 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bullseye.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-debian-bullseye.Dockerfile
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && \
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-fedora.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-fedora.Dockerfile
index cba18620f983d..d7f1ec0fdd704 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-fedora.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-fedora.Dockerfile
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/curl/curl/releases/download/curl-8_7_1/curl-8.
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-opensuse-leap.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-opensuse-leap.Dockerfile
index df91fcc713bb2..0a337c4a8b61a 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-opensuse-leap.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-opensuse-leap.Dockerfile
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/archive/20250814.2.tar.gz |
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-rockylinux-9.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-rockylinux-9.Dockerfile
index 3a0bb01a8ba1b..e0c9b952a7239 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-rockylinux-9.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-rockylinux-9.Dockerfile
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/archive/20250814.2.tar.gz |
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-24.04.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-24.04.Dockerfile
index c669b5614fd6b..e91e450bdf860 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-24.04.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-24.04.Dockerfile
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/archive/20250814.2.tar.gz |
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-jammy.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-jammy.Dockerfile
index 2e8278b2d3135..04a77a1cf90df 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-jammy.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/demo-ubuntu-jammy.Dockerfile
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/archive/20250814.2.tar.gz |
 
 # ```bash
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-cmake-quickstart.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-cmake-quickstart.Dockerfile
index 40f84b4a7ffae..b67590ba2c8b9 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-cmake-quickstart.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-cmake-quickstart.Dockerfile
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/nlohmann/json/archive/v3.11.3.tar.gz | \
     ldconfig && cd /var/tmp && rm -fr build
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cmake.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cmake.Dockerfile
index c73462a758719..06e2700e7e880 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cmake.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cmake.Dockerfile
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/nlohmann/json/archive/v3.11.3.tar.gz | \
     ldconfig && cd /var/tmp && rm -fr build
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cxx20.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cxx20.Dockerfile
index d9aedb3c1cb81..2a9a48a029cf1 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cxx20.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-cxx20.Dockerfile
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/nlohmann/json/archive/v3.11.3.tar.gz | \
     cd /var/tmp && rm -fr build
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=20 \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-publish-docs.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-publish-docs.Dockerfile
index 98336ac903aa0..6df8d83c7d1c0 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-publish-docs.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/fedora-latest-publish-docs.Dockerfile
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-cpp/archive/v1.24
     ldconfig && cd /var/tmp && rm -fr build
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/gcc-oldest.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/gcc-oldest.Dockerfile
index 9ff742c279af0..1304c98135e1e 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/gcc-oldest.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/gcc-oldest.Dockerfile
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/google/benchmark/archive/v1.9.5.tar.gz | \
     ldconfig && cd /var/tmp && rm -fr build
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-20.04-install.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-20.04-install.Dockerfile
index 618714e28bd77..a6d9cf626dc56 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-20.04-install.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-20.04-install.Dockerfile
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/nlohmann/json/archive/v3.11.3.tar.gz | \
 
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-22.04-install.Dockerfile b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-22.04-install.Dockerfile
index f5324eabffe12..f88c5be8f119c 100644
--- a/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-22.04-install.Dockerfile
+++ b/ci/cloudbuild/dockerfiles/ubuntu-22.04-install.Dockerfile
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/nlohmann/json/archive/v3.11.3.tar.gz | \
 
 
 WORKDIR /var/tmp/build/protobuf
-RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+RUN curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
diff --git a/doc/packaging.md b/doc/packaging.md
index 89d291a1a3cb4..c0703d71b3511 100644
--- a/doc/packaging.md
+++ b/doc/packaging.md
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ sudo ldconfig && cd /var/tmp && rm -fr build
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ sudo ldconfig
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ sudo ldconfig
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
@@ -815,7 +815,7 @@ Google Cloud Platform proto files:
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
@@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@ sudo ldconfig
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
@@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ to build from source:
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
@@ -1400,7 +1400,7 @@ install Protobuf (and any downstream packages) from source.
 
 ```bash
 mkdir -p $HOME/Downloads/protobuf && cd $HOME/Downloads/protobuf
-curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v33.6.tar.gz | \
+curl -fsSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/archive/v36.0.tar.gz | \
     tar -xzf - --strip-components=1 && \
     cmake \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \