Create Your Account

The first thing you need to do before you can start using AWS is to create an AWS account. You will need a credit card and cell phone number to complete this.

step 1:

Go to aws.com and click on Create an AWS Account

step 2:

Enter your email address and create an account name for your account

step 3:

Create a good password and Click on Continue (step 1 of 5)

This is the root account password that you won't really use much but MUST be as secure as possible. This password allows anyone to completely control your account.

Make sure you're using a password manager so it can be secure and so you don't lose it.

step 4:

Select Personal - for your own projects

step 5:

Fill out all your personal details, continue to step 2 of 5

step 6:

Fill out your billing information and continue to step 3 of 5

step 7:

Confirm your identity. You'll need an active phone number for this

step 8:

Select the Basic support - Free plan

step 9:

Click on Complete sign up

step 10:

You're all done. Click on Go to the AWS Management Console

2 Factor Auth

The email and password you just setup will log you in as the root user to your account. This means you're able to do absolutely anything to your account including closing it.

We will add other ways of logging in later that make things a little bit more secure, and we shouldn't ever have to use these root account details. Make sure your password is secure and make sure you add two factor authentication.

step 11:

Click on my-aws-account

step 12:

Click on Security credentials

step 13:

Click on Assign MFA

step 14:

Add a multi factor authentication device