diff --git a/internal/web/job/xray_traffic_job.go b/internal/web/job/xray_traffic_job.go
index 9a89bd86d..7f302bcaf 100644
--- a/internal/web/job/xray_traffic_job.go
+++ b/internal/web/job/xray_traffic_job.go
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ func (j *XrayTrafficJob) Run() {
 			logger.Warning("get RestartXrayOnClientDisable failed:", settingErr)
 		}
 		if restartOnDisable {
-			if err := j.xrayService.RestartXray(true); err != nil {
-				logger.Warning("restart xray after disabling clients failed:", err)
+			if err := j.xrayService.RestartXray(false); err != nil {
+				logger.Warning("reconcile xray after disabling clients failed:", err)
 				j.xrayService.SetToNeedRestart()
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/internal/web/service/xray.go b/internal/web/service/xray.go
index 7e027a08d..4b84e4c34 100644
--- a/internal/web/service/xray.go
+++ b/internal/web/service/xray.go
@@ -1004,6 +1004,12 @@ func (s *XrayService) tryHotApply(newCfg *xray.Config) bool {
 
 	// Removals first so changed handlers and port swaps never collide with
 	// the additions that follow.
+	for _, u := range diff.RemovedUsers {
+		if err := hotAPI.RemoveUser(u.Tag, u.Email); err != nil && !xray.IsMissingHandlerErr(err) {
+			logger.Info("hot apply: remove user [", u.Email, "] from [", u.Tag, "] failed:", err)
+			return false
+		}
+	}
 	for _, tag := range diff.RemovedInboundTags {
 		if err := hotAPI.DelInbound(tag); err != nil && !xray.IsMissingHandlerErr(err) {
 			logger.Info("hot apply: remove inbound [", tag, "] failed:", err)
@@ -1028,6 +1034,12 @@ func (s *XrayService) tryHotApply(newCfg *xray.Config) bool {
 			return false
 		}
 	}
+	for _, u := range diff.AddedUsers {
+		if err := addUserReconciling(&hotAPI, u); err != nil {
+			logger.Info("hot apply: add user [", u.Email, "] to [", u.Tag, "] failed:", err)
+			return false
+		}
+	}
 	if diff.RoutingConfig != nil {
 		if err := hotAPI.ApplyRoutingConfig(diff.RoutingConfig); err != nil {
 			logger.Info("hot apply: apply routing config failed:", err)
@@ -1039,6 +1051,19 @@ func (s *XrayService) tryHotApply(newCfg *xray.Config) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// addUserReconciling adds a user, and on an email conflict (the user was
+// already applied through the runtime API) replaces the existing user instead.
+func addUserReconciling(api *xray.XrayAPI, u xray.UserOp) error {
+	err := api.AddUser(u.Protocol, u.Tag, u.User)
+	if err == nil || !xray.IsUserExistsErr(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+	if delErr := api.RemoveUser(u.Tag, u.Email); delErr != nil && !xray.IsMissingHandlerErr(delErr) {
+		return delErr
+	}
+	return api.AddUser(u.Protocol, u.Tag, u.User)
+}
+
 // addInboundReconciling adds an inbound, and on a tag conflict (the handler
 // was already created through the runtime API while the stored snapshot was
 // stale) replaces the existing handler instead.
diff --git a/internal/xray/api.go b/internal/xray/api.go
index 6bfa35645..d3f95e1f4 100644
--- a/internal/xray/api.go
+++ b/internal/xray/api.go
@@ -397,6 +397,15 @@ func IsExistingTagErr(err error) bool {
 	return strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(err.Error()), "existing tag")
 }
 
+// IsUserExistsErr reports whether err is xray's response to adding a user whose
+// email is already registered on the inbound.
+func IsUserExistsErr(err error) bool {
+	if err == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return strings.Contains(strings.ToLower(err.Error()), "already exists")
+}
+
 // ensureXrayAssetLocation makes geoip.dat/geosite.dat resolvable when xray-core
 // config builders run inside the panel process. The xray binary resolves assets
 // relative to its own executable, but the panel binary lives one level above
diff --git a/internal/xray/hot_diff.go b/internal/xray/hot_diff.go
index 21a4ed616..50458dc2e 100644
--- a/internal/xray/hot_diff.go
+++ b/internal/xray/hot_diff.go
@@ -15,15 +15,27 @@ import (
 type HotDiff struct {
 	RemovedInboundTags  []string
 	AddedInbounds       [][]byte
+	RemovedUsers        []UserOp
+	AddedUsers          []UserOp
 	RemovedOutboundTags []string
 	AddedOutbounds      [][]byte
 	RoutingConfig       []byte // full new routing section; nil when unchanged
 }
 
+// UserOp is a per-user AlterInbound operation; User is nil for removals.
+type UserOp struct {
+	Tag      string
+	Protocol string
+	Email    string
+	User     map[string]any
+}
+
 // Empty reports whether the diff contains no operations.
 func (d *HotDiff) Empty() bool {
 	return len(d.RemovedInboundTags) == 0 &&
 		len(d.AddedInbounds) == 0 &&
+		len(d.RemovedUsers) == 0 &&
+		len(d.AddedUsers) == 0 &&
 		len(d.RemovedOutboundTags) == 0 &&
 		len(d.AddedOutbounds) == 0 &&
 		d.RoutingConfig == nil
@@ -112,6 +124,9 @@ func diffInbounds(oldCfg, newCfg *Config, diff *HotDiff) bool {
 			logger.Debug("hot diff: inbound [", oldIb.Tag, "] carries a reverse-tagged client, forcing a full restart instead of a hot swap")
 			return false
 		}
+		if exists && diffInboundUsers(oldIb, newIb, diff) {
+			continue
+		}
 		diff.RemovedInboundTags = append(diff.RemovedInboundTags, oldIb.Tag)
 		if exists {
 			raw, err := json.Marshal(newIb)
@@ -138,6 +153,99 @@ func diffInbounds(oldCfg, newCfg *Config, diff *HotDiff) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+var userDiffableProtocols = map[string]struct{}{"vless": {}, "vmess": {}, "trojan": {}}
+
+// diffInboundUsers emits per-user AlterInbound ops when two same-tag inbounds
+// differ only in settings.clients, so the handler (and its listener) survives.
+func diffInboundUsers(oldIb, newIb *InboundConfig, diff *HotDiff) bool {
+	if oldIb.Port != newIb.Port || oldIb.Protocol != newIb.Protocol || oldIb.Tag != newIb.Tag {
+		return false
+	}
+	if _, ok := userDiffableProtocols[oldIb.Protocol]; !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	if !rawEqualNormalized(oldIb.Listen, newIb.Listen) ||
+		!rawEqualNormalized(oldIb.StreamSettings, newIb.StreamSettings) ||
+		!rawEqualNormalized(oldIb.Sniffing, newIb.Sniffing) {
+		return false
+	}
+	oldClients, oldRest, ok := splitSettingsClients(oldIb.Settings)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	newClients, newRest, ok := splitSettingsClients(newIb.Settings)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(oldRest, newRest) {
+		return false
+	}
+	for email, oldC := range oldClients {
+		newC, exists := newClients[email]
+		if exists && bytes.Equal(oldC.norm, newC.norm) {
+			continue
+		}
+		diff.RemovedUsers = append(diff.RemovedUsers, UserOp{Tag: oldIb.Tag, Protocol: oldIb.Protocol, Email: email})
+		if exists {
+			diff.AddedUsers = append(diff.AddedUsers, UserOp{Tag: oldIb.Tag, Protocol: oldIb.Protocol, Email: email, User: newC.user})
+		}
+	}
+	for email, newC := range newClients {
+		if _, exists := oldClients[email]; !exists {
+			diff.AddedUsers = append(diff.AddedUsers, UserOp{Tag: oldIb.Tag, Protocol: oldIb.Protocol, Email: email, User: newC.user})
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+type clientEntry struct {
+	user map[string]any
+	norm []byte
+}
+
+// splitSettingsClients indexes settings.clients by email and returns the rest of
+// the settings in canonical form; ok is false when a client has no unique email.
+func splitSettingsClients(raw json_util.RawMessage) (map[string]clientEntry, []byte, bool) {
+	if len(raw) == 0 {
+		return nil, nil, false
+	}
+	settings := map[string]any{}
+	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(raw))
+	decoder.UseNumber()
+	if err := decoder.Decode(&settings); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, false
+	}
+	clientsRaw, hasClients := settings["clients"].([]any)
+	if !hasClients {
+		return nil, nil, false
+	}
+	clients := make(map[string]clientEntry, len(clientsRaw))
+	for _, c := range clientsRaw {
+		obj, ok := c.(map[string]any)
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, nil, false
+		}
+		email, _ := obj["email"].(string)
+		if email == "" {
+			return nil, nil, false
+		}
+		if _, dup := clients[email]; dup {
+			return nil, nil, false
+		}
+		norm, err := json.Marshal(obj)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, false
+		}
+		clients[email] = clientEntry{user: obj, norm: norm}
+	}
+	delete(settings, "clients")
+	rest, err := json.Marshal(settings)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, false
+	}
+	return clients, rest, true
+}
+
 func inboundHasReverseClient(ib *InboundConfig) bool {
 	if ib == nil {
 		return false
diff --git a/internal/xray/hot_diff_test.go b/internal/xray/hot_diff_test.go
index 430abf3d3..a70db3f87 100644
--- a/internal/xray/hot_diff_test.go
+++ b/internal/xray/hot_diff_test.go
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ func TestComputeHotDiff_StaticSectionChangeNeedsRestart(t *testing.T) {
 func TestComputeHotDiff_InboundAddRemoveChange(t *testing.T) {
 	oldCfg := makeHotConfig()
 	newCfg := makeHotConfig()
-	// change existing
-	newCfg.InboundConfigs[1].Settings = json_util.RawMessage(`{"clients":[{"email":"a"}]}`)
+	// change existing beyond the clients list, so no user-level shortcut applies
+	newCfg.InboundConfigs[1].Settings = json_util.RawMessage(`{"clients":[],"decryption":"none"}`)
 	// add new
 	newCfg.InboundConfigs = append(newCfg.InboundConfigs, InboundConfig{
 		Port: 2080, Protocol: "vmess", Tag: "inbound-2080",
@@ -171,6 +171,80 @@ func TestComputeHotDiff_InboundAddRemoveChange(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestComputeHotDiff_ClientOnlyChangeUsesUserOps(t *testing.T) {
+	oldCfg := makeHotConfig()
+	oldCfg.InboundConfigs[1].Settings = json_util.RawMessage(`{"clients":[{"email":"a","id":"uuid-a"},{"email":"b","id":"uuid-b"}],"decryption":"none"}`)
+	newCfg := makeHotConfig()
+	// b expired and is stripped from the generated config (#5712); a's id rotated.
+	newCfg.InboundConfigs[1].Settings = json_util.RawMessage(`{"clients":[{"email":"a","id":"uuid-a2"},{"email":"c","id":"uuid-c"}],"decryption":"none"}`)
+
+	diff, ok := ComputeHotDiff(oldCfg, newCfg)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("client-only change must be hot-appliable")
+	}
+	if len(diff.RemovedInboundTags) != 0 || len(diff.AddedInbounds) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("client-only change must not replace the handler, got %+v", diff)
+	}
+	removed := map[string]bool{}
+	for _, u := range diff.RemovedUsers {
+		if u.Tag != "inbound-1080" || u.Protocol != "vless" {
+			t.Fatalf("removed user op has wrong target: %+v", u)
+		}
+		removed[u.Email] = true
+	}
+	if len(removed) != 2 || !removed["a"] || !removed["b"] {
+		t.Fatalf("expected users a (changed) and b (gone) removed, got %v", removed)
+	}
+	added := map[string]string{}
+	for _, u := range diff.AddedUsers {
+		id, _ := u.User["id"].(string)
+		added[u.Email] = id
+	}
+	if len(added) != 2 || added["a"] != "uuid-a2" || added["c"] != "uuid-c" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected users a (new id) and c added, got %v", added)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestComputeHotDiff_ClientChangeFallsBackToReplace(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name   string
+		mutate func(cfg *Config)
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "unsupported protocol",
+			mutate: func(cfg *Config) {
+				cfg.InboundConfigs[1].Protocol = "shadowsocks"
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "client without email",
+			mutate: func(cfg *Config) {
+				cfg.InboundConfigs[1].Settings = json_util.RawMessage(`{"clients":[{"id":"uuid-a"}]}`)
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			oldCfg := makeHotConfig()
+			newCfg := makeHotConfig()
+			tc.mutate(oldCfg)
+			tc.mutate(newCfg)
+			newCfg.InboundConfigs[1].Settings = json_util.RawMessage(`{"clients":[{"email":"x","id":"uuid-x","password":"pw"}]}`)
+
+			diff, ok := ComputeHotDiff(oldCfg, newCfg)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatal("change must still be hot-appliable via handler replacement")
+			}
+			if len(diff.RemovedUsers) != 0 || len(diff.AddedUsers) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected no user ops, got %+v", diff)
+			}
+			if len(diff.RemovedInboundTags) != 1 || len(diff.AddedInbounds) != 1 {
+				t.Fatalf("expected handler replacement, got %+v", diff)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestComputeHotDiff_ApiInboundChangeNeedsRestart(t *testing.T) {
 	newCfg := makeHotConfig()
 	newCfg.InboundConfigs[0].Port = 62790