# The watch-admin mode is enabled by default

> Source: https://docs.strapi.io/cms/migration/v4-to-v5/breaking-changes/watch-admin-enabled-by-default

In Strapi 5, `strapi develop` starts in watch-admin mode by default, so the admin panel hot reloads without any additional flag. Use `--no-watch-admin` to disable it.

Watch-admin mode reloads the admin panel automatically while you edit its source files. In Strapi v4 you had to ask for this behavior explicitly, while in Strapi 5 you get it by default and opt out instead.

This page is part of the [breaking changes database](/cms/migration/v4-to-v5/breaking-changes) and provides information about the breaking change and additional instructions to migrate from Strapi v4 to Strapi 5.

- Is this breaking change affecting plugins? No
- Is this breaking change automatically handled by a codemod? No

## Breaking change description

**In Strapi v4**

Watch-admin mode is disabled by default. You start it with the `--watch-admin` flag:

```bash
strapi develop --watch-admin
```

A separate `strapi watch-admin` command is also available.

**In Strapi 5**

Watch-admin mode is enabled by default, so `strapi develop` alone hot reloads the admin panel. The `--no-watch-admin` flag disables it:

```bash
strapi develop --no-watch-admin
```

The standalone `strapi watch-admin` command is removed.

## Migration

This section regroups useful notes and procedures about the introduced breaking change.

### Notes

Passing `--watch-admin` in Strapi 5 is not an error, since the flag still exists and already defaults to `true`. Scripts that use it keep working, but the flag is redundant.

If watch-admin mode is disabled, you can also use `--no-build-admin` to prevent the admin panel from being built.

### Manual migration

To migrate to Strapi 5:

1. Search your `package.json` scripts, Dockerfiles, and CI configuration files for `--watch-admin` and `strapi watch-admin`.
2. Replace any `strapi watch-admin` command with `strapi develop`.
3. Remove the now-redundant `--watch-admin` flags, or keep them if you prefer being explicit.
4. Add `--no-watch-admin` to the commands that must *not* hot reload the admin panel, such as scripts that previously relied on watch-admin mode being off by default.

:::note
See the [CLI reference](/cms/cli#strapi-develop) for the full list of options accepted by the `strapi develop` command.
:::