diff --git a/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.scss b/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.scss
index 41a29c648..2f800e7c9 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.scss
+++ b/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.scss
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
   width: var(--nav-width);
   border-right: 1px solid var(--theme-elevation-100);
   opacity: 0;
-  transition: opacity var(--nav-trans-time) ease-in-out;
+
+  &--nav-animate {
+    transition: opacity var(--nav-trans-time) ease-in-out;
+  }
 
   &--nav-open {
     opacity: 1;
diff --git a/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.tsx b/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.tsx
index c7e802dcb..76f71f8d5 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/NavWrapper/index.tsx
@@ -10,10 +10,19 @@ export const NavWrapper: React.FC<{
 }> = (props) => {
   const { baseClass, children } = props
 
-  const { navOpen, navRef } = useNav()
+  const { hydrated, navOpen, navRef, shouldAnimate } = useNav()
 
   return (
-    <aside className={[baseClass, navOpen && `${baseClass}--nav-open`].filter(Boolean).join(' ')}>
+    <aside
+      className={[
+        baseClass,
+        navOpen && `${baseClass}--nav-open`,
+        shouldAnimate && `${baseClass}--nav-animate`,
+        hydrated && `${baseClass}--nav-hydrated`,
+      ]
+        .filter(Boolean)
+        .join(' ')}
+    >
       <div className={`${baseClass}__scroll`} ref={navRef}>
         {children}
       </div>
diff --git a/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/index.scss b/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/index.scss
index 46adf33bc..4b1b2e452 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/index.scss
+++ b/packages/next/src/elements/Nav/index.scss
@@ -9,9 +9,12 @@
   width: var(--nav-width);
   border-right: 1px solid var(--theme-elevation-100);
   opacity: 0;
-  transition: opacity var(--nav-trans-time) ease-in-out;
   overflow: hidden;
 
+  &--nav-animate {
+    transition: opacity var(--nav-trans-time) ease-in-out;
+  }
+
   &--nav-open {
     opacity: 1;
   }
diff --git a/packages/next/src/layouts/Root/index.tsx b/packages/next/src/layouts/Root/index.tsx
index cfe4aebc4..b759fc717 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/layouts/Root/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/next/src/layouts/Root/index.tsx
@@ -106,6 +106,39 @@ export const RootLayout = async ({
     })
   }
 
+  const navPreferences = user
+    ? (
+        await payload.find({
+          collection: 'payload-preferences',
+          depth: 0,
+          limit: 1,
+          req,
+          user,
+          where: {
+            and: [
+              {
+                key: {
+                  equals: 'nav',
+                },
+              },
+              {
+                'user.relationTo': {
+                  equals: user.collection,
+                },
+              },
+              {
+                'user.value': {
+                  equals: user.id,
+                },
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        })
+      )?.docs?.[0]
+    : null
+
+  const isNavOpen = (navPreferences?.value as any)?.open ?? true
+
   return (
     <html data-theme={theme} dir={dir} lang={languageCode}>
       <body>
@@ -113,6 +146,7 @@ export const RootLayout = async ({
           config={clientConfig}
           dateFNSKey={i18n.dateFNSKey}
           fallbackLang={clientConfig.i18n.fallbackLanguage}
+          isNavOpen={isNavOpen}
           languageCode={languageCode}
           languageOptions={languageOptions}
           permissions={permissions}
diff --git a/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.scss b/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.scss
index 9516e3558..9d2dc1855 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.scss
+++ b/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.scss
@@ -4,17 +4,17 @@
   min-height: 100vh;
   display: grid;
   position: relative;
-  grid-template-columns: 0 auto;
-  transition: grid-template-columns var(--nav-trans-time) linear;
   isolation: isolate;
 
   @media (prefers-reduced-motion) {
     transition: none;
   }
 
+  &--nav-animate {
+    transition: grid-template-columns var(--nav-trans-time) linear;
+  }
+
   &--nav-open {
-    width: 100%;
-    grid-template-columns: var(--nav-width) auto;
 
     .template-default {
       &__nav-overlay {
@@ -23,3 +23,35 @@
     }
   }
 }
+
+@media (min-width: 1441px) {
+  .template-default {
+    grid-template-columns: 0 auto;
+
+    &--nav-open {
+      grid-template-columns: var(--nav-width) auto;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 1440px) {
+  .template-default--nav-hydrated.template-default--nav-open {
+    grid-template-columns: var(--nav-width) auto;
+  }
+
+  .template-default {
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr auto;
+
+    .nav {
+      display: none;
+    }
+
+    &--nav-hydrated {
+      grid-template-columns: 0 auto;
+
+      .nav {
+        display: unset;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.tsx b/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.tsx
index 27378b23a..9f94b8e3d 100644
--- a/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/next/src/templates/Default/Wrapper/index.tsx
@@ -10,11 +10,17 @@ export const Wrapper: React.FC<{
   className?: string
 }> = (props) => {
   const { baseClass, children, className } = props
-  const { navOpen } = useNav()
+  const { hydrated, navOpen, shouldAnimate } = useNav()
 
   return (
     <div
-      className={[baseClass, className, navOpen && `${baseClass}--nav-open`]
+      className={[
+        baseClass,
+        className,
+        navOpen && `${baseClass}--nav-open`,
+        shouldAnimate && `${baseClass}--nav-animate`,
+        hydrated && `${baseClass}--nav-hydrated`,
+      ]
         .filter(Boolean)
         .join(' ')}
     >
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/elements/Nav/context.tsx b/packages/ui/src/elements/Nav/context.tsx
index 7e861770b..6e056b33b 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/elements/Nav/context.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/elements/Nav/context.tsx
@@ -6,15 +6,19 @@ import React, { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
 import { usePreferences } from '../../providers/Preferences/index.js'
 
 type NavContextType = {
+  hydrated: boolean
   navOpen: boolean
   navRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>
   setNavOpen: (value: boolean) => void
+  shouldAnimate: boolean
 }
 
 export const NavContext = React.createContext<NavContextType>({
+  hydrated: false,
   navOpen: true,
   navRef: null,
   setNavOpen: () => {},
+  shouldAnimate: false,
 })
 
 export const useNav = () => React.useContext(NavContext)
@@ -31,7 +35,8 @@ const getNavPreference = async (getPreference): Promise<boolean> => {
 
 export const NavProvider: React.FC<{
   children: React.ReactNode
-}> = ({ children }) => {
+  initialIsOpen?: boolean
+}> = ({ children, initialIsOpen }) => {
   const {
     breakpoints: { l: largeBreak, m: midBreak, s: smallBreak },
   } = useWindowInfo()
@@ -43,7 +48,10 @@ export const NavProvider: React.FC<{
   // this is because getting the preference is async
   // so instead of closing it after the preference is loaded
   // we will open it after the preference is loaded
-  const [navOpen, setNavOpen] = React.useState(false)
+  const [navOpen, setNavOpen] = React.useState(initialIsOpen)
+
+  const [shouldAnimate, setShouldAnimate] = React.useState(false)
+  const [hydrated, setHydrated] = React.useState(false)
 
   // on load check the user's preference and set "initial" state
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -53,7 +61,7 @@ export const NavProvider: React.FC<{
         setNavOpen(preferredState)
       }
 
-      setNavFromPreferences() // eslint-disable-line @typescript-eslint/no-floating-promises
+      void setNavFromPreferences()
     }
   }, [largeBreak, getPreference, setNavOpen])
 
@@ -76,9 +84,14 @@ export const NavProvider: React.FC<{
   // close the nav when the user resizes down to mobile
   // the sidebar is a modal on mobile
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (largeBreak === false || midBreak === false || smallBreak === false) {
+    if (largeBreak === true || midBreak === true || smallBreak === true) {
       setNavOpen(false)
     }
+    setHydrated(true)
+
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      setShouldAnimate(true)
+    }, 100)
   }, [largeBreak, midBreak, smallBreak])
 
   // when the component unmounts, clear all body scroll locks
@@ -89,6 +102,8 @@ export const NavProvider: React.FC<{
   }, [])
 
   return (
-    <NavContext.Provider value={{ navOpen, navRef, setNavOpen }}>{children}</NavContext.Provider>
+    <NavContext.Provider value={{ hydrated, navOpen, navRef, setNavOpen, shouldAnimate }}>
+      {children}
+    </NavContext.Provider>
   )
 }
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/providers/Root/index.tsx b/packages/ui/src/providers/Root/index.tsx
index d3436fbb7..4c6dce7ce 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/providers/Root/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/providers/Root/index.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ type Props = {
   config: ClientConfig
   dateFNSKey: Language['dateFNSKey']
   fallbackLang: ClientConfig['i18n']['fallbackLanguage']
+  isNavOpen?: boolean
   languageCode: string
   languageOptions: LanguageOptions
   permissions: Permissions
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export const RootProvider: React.FC<Props> = ({
   config,
   dateFNSKey,
   fallbackLang,
+  isNavOpen,
   languageCode,
   languageOptions,
   permissions,
@@ -90,7 +92,9 @@ export const RootProvider: React.FC<Props> = ({
                                     <LoadingOverlayProvider>
                                       <DocumentEventsProvider>
                                         <ActionsProvider>
-                                          <NavProvider>{children}</NavProvider>
+                                          <NavProvider initialIsOpen={isNavOpen}>
+                                            {children}
+                                          </NavProvider>
                                         </ActionsProvider>
                                       </DocumentEventsProvider>
                                     </LoadingOverlayProvider>
