diff --git a/src/lightning/pytorch/CHANGELOG.md b/src/lightning/pytorch/CHANGELOG.md
index 96c4840f7d33a..e4dc82e05c8be 100644
--- a/src/lightning/pytorch/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/src/lightning/pytorch/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 
 
+- The `LightningDataModule.load_from_checkpoint` and `LightningModule.load_from_checkpoint` methods now raise an error if they are called on an instance instead of the class ([#18432](https://github.com/Lightning-AI/lightning/pull/18432))
+
+
 ### Deprecated
 
 - Deprecated the `SingleTPUStrategy` (`strategy="single_tpu"`) in favor of `SingleDeviceXLAStrategy` (`strategy="single_xla"`) ([#17383](https://github.com/Lightning-AI/lightning/pull/17383))
diff --git a/src/lightning/pytorch/core/datamodule.py b/src/lightning/pytorch/core/datamodule.py
index bda6dac711d06..f1a3efa90c9ec 100644
--- a/src/lightning/pytorch/core/datamodule.py
+++ b/src/lightning/pytorch/core/datamodule.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 from lightning.pytorch.core.hooks import DataHooks
 from lightning.pytorch.core.mixins import HyperparametersMixin
 from lightning.pytorch.core.saving import _load_from_checkpoint
+from lightning.pytorch.utilities.model_helpers import _restricted_classmethod
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities.types import EVAL_DATALOADERS, TRAIN_DATALOADERS
 
 
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ def load_state_dict(self, state_dict: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
         """
         pass
 
-    @classmethod
+    @_restricted_classmethod
     def load_from_checkpoint(
         cls,
         checkpoint_path: Union[_PATH, IO],
@@ -200,8 +201,9 @@ def load_from_checkpoint(
             :class:`LightningDataModule` instance with loaded weights and hyperparameters (if available).
 
         Note:
-            ``load_from_checkpoint`` is a **class** method. You should use your :class:`LightningDataModule`
-            **class** to call it instead of the :class:`LightningDataModule` instance.
+            ``load_from_checkpoint`` is a **class** method. You must use your :class:`LightningDataModule`
+            **class** to call it instead of the :class:`LightningDataModule` instance, or a
+            ``TypeError`` will be raised.
 
         Example::
 
@@ -223,7 +225,7 @@ def load_from_checkpoint(
 
         """
         loaded = _load_from_checkpoint(
-            cls,
+            cls,  # type: ignore[arg-type]
             checkpoint_path,
             map_location=map_location,
             hparams_file=hparams_file,
diff --git a/src/lightning/pytorch/core/module.py b/src/lightning/pytorch/core/module.py
index 5e70533267b24..2ef97cd58bbc3 100644
--- a/src/lightning/pytorch/core/module.py
+++ b/src/lightning/pytorch/core/module.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities import GradClipAlgorithmType
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities.exceptions import MisconfigurationException
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities.imports import _TORCHMETRICS_GREATER_EQUAL_0_9_1
+from lightning.pytorch.utilities.model_helpers import _restricted_classmethod
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities.rank_zero import rank_zero_debug, rank_zero_warn, WarningCache
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities.signature_utils import is_param_in_hook_signature
 from lightning.pytorch.utilities.types import (
@@ -1464,7 +1465,7 @@ def forward(self, x):
 
         return torchscript_module
 
-    @classmethod
+    @_restricted_classmethod
     def load_from_checkpoint(
         cls,
         checkpoint_path: Union[_PATH, IO],
@@ -1512,7 +1513,8 @@ def load_from_checkpoint(
 
         Note:
             ``load_from_checkpoint`` is a **class** method. You should use your :class:`LightningModule`
-            **class** to call it instead of the :class:`LightningModule` instance.
+            **class** to call it instead of the :class:`LightningModule` instance, or a
+            ``TypeError`` will be raised.
 
         Example::
 
@@ -1545,7 +1547,7 @@ def load_from_checkpoint(
             y_hat = pretrained_model(x)
         """
         loaded = _load_from_checkpoint(
-            cls,
+            cls,  # type: ignore[arg-type]
             checkpoint_path,
             map_location,
             hparams_file,
diff --git a/src/lightning/pytorch/utilities/model_helpers.py b/src/lightning/pytorch/utilities/model_helpers.py
index d683e294b235b..980695e4d8caa 100644
--- a/src/lightning/pytorch/utilities/model_helpers.py
+++ b/src/lightning/pytorch/utilities/model_helpers.py
@@ -11,10 +11,14 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-from typing import Any, Optional, Type
+import inspect
+import os
+from types import MethodType
+from typing import Any, Callable, Generic, Optional, Type, TYPE_CHECKING, TypeVar
 
 from lightning_utilities.core.imports import RequirementCache
 from torch import nn
+from typing_extensions import Concatenate, ParamSpec
 
 import lightning.pytorch as pl
 
@@ -68,3 +72,31 @@ def _check_mixed_imports(instance: object) -> None:
         f"You passed a `{old}` object ({type(instance).__qualname__}) to a `{new}`"
         " Trainer. Please switch to a single import style."
     )
+
+
+_T = TypeVar("_T")  # type of the method owner
+_P = ParamSpec("_P")  # parameters of the decorated method
+_R_co = TypeVar("_R_co", covariant=True)  # return type of the decorated method
+
+
+class _restricted_classmethod_impl(Generic[_T, _P, _R_co]):
+    """Drop-in replacement for @classmethod, but raises an exception when the decorated method is called on an instance
+    instead of a class type."""
+
+    def __init__(self, method: Callable[Concatenate[_T, _P], _R_co]) -> None:
+        self.method = method
+
+    def __get__(self, instance: Optional[_T], cls: Type[_T]) -> Callable[_P, _R_co]:
+        # Workaround for https://github.com/pytorch/pytorch/issues/67146
+        is_scripting = any(os.path.join("torch", "jit") in frameinfo.filename for frameinfo in inspect.stack())
+        if instance is not None and not is_scripting:
+            raise TypeError(
+                f"The classmethod `{cls.__name__}.{self.method.__name__}` cannot be called on an instance."
+                " Please call it on the class type and make sure the return value is used."
+            )
+        return MethodType(self.method, cls)
+
+
+# trick static type checkers into thinking it's a @classmethod
+# https://github.com/microsoft/pyright/issues/5865
+_restricted_classmethod = classmethod if TYPE_CHECKING else _restricted_classmethod_impl
diff --git a/tests/tests_pytorch/callbacks/test_pruning.py b/tests/tests_pytorch/callbacks/test_pruning.py
index 61676864afd66..dc795e5f80dcb 100644
--- a/tests/tests_pytorch/callbacks/test_pruning.py
+++ b/tests/tests_pytorch/callbacks/test_pruning.py
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ def test_multiple_pruning_callbacks(tmpdir, caplog, make_pruning_permanent: bool
     filepath = str(tmpdir / "foo.ckpt")
     trainer.save_checkpoint(filepath)
 
-    model.load_from_checkpoint(filepath, strict=False)
+    model.load_state_dict(torch.load(filepath), strict=False)
     has_pruning = hasattr(model.layer.mlp_1, "weight_orig")
     assert not has_pruning if make_pruning_permanent else has_pruning
 
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ def on_save_checkpoint(self, trainer, pl_module, checkpoint):
     # removed on_train_end
     assert not hasattr(model.layer.mlp_3, "weight_orig")
 
-    model.load_from_checkpoint(trainer.checkpoint_callback.kth_best_model_path)
+    model = TestModel.load_from_checkpoint(trainer.checkpoint_callback.kth_best_model_path)
     assert not hasattr(model.layer.mlp_3, "weight_orig")
-    model.load_from_checkpoint(trainer.checkpoint_callback.last_model_path)
+    model = TestModel.load_from_checkpoint(trainer.checkpoint_callback.last_model_path)
     assert not hasattr(model.layer.mlp_3, "weight_orig")
diff --git a/tests/tests_pytorch/utilities/test_model_helpers.py b/tests/tests_pytorch/utilities/test_model_helpers.py
index 13b500d8e4359..d9fc267d9168e 100644
--- a/tests/tests_pytorch/utilities/test_model_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/tests_pytorch/utilities/test_model_helpers.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 from lightning.pytorch import LightningDataModule
 from lightning.pytorch.demos.boring_classes import BoringDataModule, BoringModel
-from lightning.pytorch.utilities.model_helpers import is_overridden
+from lightning.pytorch.utilities.model_helpers import _restricted_classmethod, is_overridden
 
 
 def test_is_overridden():
@@ -49,3 +49,22 @@ def test_mixed_imports_unified():
 
     with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=r"`pytorch_lightning` object \(EarlyStopping\) to a `lightning.pytorch`"):
         new_is_overridden("on_fit_start", OldEarlyStopping("foo"))
+
+
+class RestrictedClass:
+    @_restricted_classmethod
+    def restricted_cmethod(cls):
+        # Can only be called on the class type
+        pass
+
+    @classmethod
+    def cmethod(cls):
+        # Can be called on instance or class type
+        pass
+
+
+def test_restricted_classmethod():
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="cannot be called on an instance"):
+        RestrictedClass().restricted_cmethod()
+
+    RestrictedClass.restricted_cmethod()  # no exception