# Load/reload CMake

Procedure: Load CMake

* When a `CMakeLists.txt` file is detected under the project root, CLion loads its automatically.

To manually load a `CMakeLists.txt` file, right-click it in the project tree and select Load CMake Project from the context menu:

![Loading an existing CMakeLists.txt file](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_CMake_select_load.png)

Procedure: Reload CMake on changes in CMakeLists.txt

* By default, when you make changes in the `CMakeLists.txt` file, CLion shows a floating notification indicating that the project needs to be reloaded:

![CMake reload floating notification](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_cmake_reload_floating.png)

Click it or press the shortcut to reload CMake.

* You can disable the floating notification in `Settings | Advanced Settings | CMake`:

![Advanced settings CMake floating notification](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_cmake_advancedsettings_reload_floating.png)

In this case, the notification will look as follows, suggesting two options for project reload:

![CMake reload option](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_reload_cmake.png)

* Reload changes In this case, you reload the project once, and all the subsequent changes in `CMakeLists.txt` will also require reloading.

* Enable Auto-reload This option lets CLion silently reload the project on every change in your `CMakeLists.txt`. This is similar to selecting the Reload CMake project on editing CMakeLists.txt or other CMake configuration files checkbox in `Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | CMake`: ![Enabling auto-reload in CMake settings](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_cmake_autoreloadsetting.png) Note that your project is reloaded automatically when you [reset the CMake cache](cmake-cache.html#reset-cache).

Procedure: Disable CMake auto-reload

* To completely disable automatic reload including external changes, go to `Settings | Advanced Settings` and set the Do not trigger CMake reload automatically checkbox:

![Disabling CMake reload](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_cmake_advancedsettings_reload.png)

Procedure: Reload CMake manually

To reload a project manually when needed, use one of the following options:

* Call Find Action (`Ctrl+Shift+A` (Windows), `⌘ ⇧ A` (macOS), `⌘ ⇧ A` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ P` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (XWin), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (KDE), `Escape, X` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⇧ P` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ A` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⇧ A` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⇧ A` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (QtCreator), `⌘ ⇧ A` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+I` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Eclipse), `⌘ 3` (Eclipse (macOS))) and start typing reload cmake. Select the ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.refresh.svg) Reload CMake Project action.

* In the main menu, go to `File | ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.refresh.svg) Reload CMake Project` or `Tools | CMake | ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.refresh.svg) Reload CMake Project`.

* In [CMake tool window](cmake.html), click ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.refresh.svg).

> **Tip:**
> You can also [assign a shortcut](configuring-keyboard-and-mouse-shortcuts.html#add-keyboard-shortcut) for the Reload CMake Project action in `Settings | Keymap`

Procedure: Stop project reload

To stop the process of reloading a project, use one of the following options:

1. Call Find Action (`Ctrl+Shift+A` (Windows), `⌘ ⇧ A` (macOS), `⌘ ⇧ A` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ P` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (XWin), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (KDE), `Escape, X` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⇧ P` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ A` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⇧ A` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⇧ A` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (QtCreator), `⌘ ⇧ A` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+I` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Eclipse), `⌘ 3` (Eclipse (macOS))) and start typing stop cmake. Select the ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.suspend.svg) Stop CMake Project Reload action.

2. In [CMake tool window](cmake.html), click ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.suspend.svg).

> **Tip:**
> You can also [assign a shortcut](configuring-keyboard-and-mouse-shortcuts.html#add-keyboard-shortcut) for the Stop CMake Project Reload action in `Settings | Keymap`

Procedure: Manage run/debug configurations on project reload

When you add or delete targets and reload your project, CLion automatically creates or deletes the corresponding [run/debug configurations](run-debug-configuration-application.html).

You can control this behavior in `Settings | Advanced Settings`:

![create or delete configurations for targets automatically](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_cmake_targets_conftemplates.png)

Procedure: Unload CMake

Use the Unload CMake Project action when you need to unlink your project off the CMake build system completely or when CLion loads a `CMakeLists.txt` script, but you want to use another one for your project.

* Call `Tools | CMake | Unload CMake Project` from the main menu.

![the unload cmake option in the main menu](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_SelectUnloadCmake.png)

Upon this action, your project's state is as described in [Load CMake](#CMakeNotDetected).

## See also

### How tos

[Quick CMake tutorial](quick-cmake-tutorial.html) [CMakeLists.txt](cmakelists-txt-file.html) [CMake profiling](cmake-profiling.html)

### Reference

[CMake](cmake0.html)