diff --git a/discord/client.py b/discord/client.py
index 1b5d5ff36..1dbd41f50 100644
--- a/discord/client.py
+++ b/discord/client.py
@@ -140,9 +140,11 @@ class Client:
     intents: :class:`Intents`
         The intents that you want to enable for the session. This is a way of
         disabling and enabling certain gateway events from triggering and being sent.
-        If not given, defaults to a regularly constructed :class:`Intents` class.
 
         .. versionadded:: 1.5
+
+        .. versionchanged:: 2.0
+            Parameter is now required.
     member_cache_flags: :class:`MemberCacheFlags`
         Allows for finer control over how the library caches members.
         If not given, defaults to cache as much as possible with the
@@ -203,7 +205,7 @@ class Client:
         The websocket gateway the client is currently connected to. Could be ``None``.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, **options: Any) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, *, intents: Intents, **options: Any) -> None:
         self.loop: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop = _loop
         # self.ws is set in the connect method
         self.ws: DiscordWebSocket = None  # type: ignore
@@ -232,7 +234,7 @@ class Client:
         }
 
         self._enable_debug_events: bool = options.pop('enable_debug_events', False)
-        self._connection: ConnectionState = self._get_state(**options)
+        self._connection: ConnectionState = self._get_state(intents=intents, **options)
         self._connection.shard_count = self.shard_count
         self._closed: bool = False
         self._ready: asyncio.Event = MISSING
diff --git a/discord/ext/commands/bot.py b/discord/ext/commands/bot.py
index bc0e7d209..160fa6d82 100644
--- a/discord/ext/commands/bot.py
+++ b/discord/ext/commands/bot.py
@@ -155,12 +155,14 @@ class BotBase(GroupMixin[None]):
     def __init__(
         self,
         command_prefix: PrefixType[BotT],
+        *,
         help_command: Optional[HelpCommand] = _default,
         tree_cls: Type[app_commands.CommandTree[Any]] = app_commands.CommandTree,
         description: Optional[str] = None,
+        intents: discord.Intents,
         **options: Any,
     ) -> None:
-        super().__init__(**options)
+        super().__init__(intents=intents, **options)
         self.command_prefix: PrefixType[BotT] = command_prefix
         self.extra_events: Dict[str, List[CoroFunc]] = {}
         # Self doesn't have the ClientT bound, but since this is a mixin it technically does
diff --git a/discord/shard.py b/discord/shard.py
index 7115c6f98..c44931c79 100644
--- a/discord/shard.py
+++ b/discord/shard.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Callable, Tuple, Type, Optional, List, Di
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .gateway import DiscordWebSocket
     from .activity import BaseActivity
+    from .flags import Intents
 
 __all__ = (
     'AutoShardedClient',
@@ -316,10 +317,10 @@ class AutoShardedClient(Client):
     if TYPE_CHECKING:
         _connection: AutoShardedConnectionState
 
-    def __init__(self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, *args: Any, intents: Intents, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
         kwargs.pop('shard_id', None)
         self.shard_ids: Optional[List[int]] = kwargs.pop('shard_ids', None)
-        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        super().__init__(*args, intents=intents, **kwargs)
 
         if self.shard_ids is not None:
             if self.shard_count is None:
diff --git a/docs/migrating.rst b/docs/migrating.rst
index b1121d074..aad1d9b1c 100644
--- a/docs/migrating.rst
+++ b/docs/migrating.rst
@@ -115,6 +115,29 @@ With this change, constructor of :class:`Client` no longer accepts ``connector``
 In parallel with this change, changes were made to loading and unloading of commands extension extensions and cogs,
 see :ref:`migrating_2_0_commands_extension_cog_async` for more information.
 
+Intents Are Now Required
+--------------------------
+
+In earlier versions, the ``intents`` keyword argument was optional and defaulted to :meth:`Intents.default`. In order to better educate users on their intents and to also make it more explicit, this parameter is now required to pass in.
+
+For example:
+
+.. code-block:: python3
+
+    # before
+    client = discord.Client()
+
+    # after
+    intents = discord.Intents.default()
+    client = discord.Client(intents=intents)
+
+This change applies to **all** subclasses of :class:`Client`.
+
+- :class:`AutoShardedClient`
+- :class:`~discord.ext.commands.Bot`
+- :class:`~discord.ext.commands.AutoShardedBot`
+
+
 Abstract Base Classes Changes
 -------------------------------