---
title: Watcher limitations
description: When you refer to a file script in a watch, the watch itself is not updated if you change the script on the filesystem. Currently, the only way to reload...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/explore-analyze/alerting/watcher/watcher-limitations
products:
  - Elasticsearch
applies_to:
  - Elastic Stack: Generally available
---

# Watcher limitations
## Watches are not updated when file based scripts change

When you refer to a file script in a watch, the watch itself is not updated if you change the script on the filesystem.
Currently, the only way to reload a file script in a watch is to delete the watch and recreate it.

## Security integration

When the security features are enabled, a watch stores information about what the user who stored the watch is allowed to execute **at that time**. This means, if those permissions change over time, the watch will still be able to execute with the permissions that existed when the watch was created.