🚀 AWS CLI Setup & IAM Access Key Configuration

This beginner-friendly guide walks you through installing the AWS CLI, configuring it using IAM Access Keys, and verifying your setup by listing users via the command line.

📦 Step 1: Install AWS CLI

🔗 Follow the official AWS CLI installation guide

📍 Choose your Operating System:

• Windows: Download .msi

• macOS: Download .pkg

• Linux: follow instructions below

🐧 Linux Installation (Manual)

# Remove old version (optional)
sudo yum remove awscli

# Download AWS CLI v2
curl "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/awscli-exe-linux-x86_64.zip" -o "awscliv2.zip"

# Unzip and install
unzip awscliv2.zip
sudo ./aws/install

📘 For more details, check the Full Linux Install Guide →

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✅ Step 2: Verify Installation

Run:

aws --version

Successful output might look like:

aws-cli/2.28.1 Python/3.13.4 Windows/10 exe/AMD64

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🔑 Step 3: Create IAM Access Key

Navigate to:
IAM ➜ Users ➜ Select a User ➜ Security Credentials tab ➜ Access Keys ➜ Create Access Key

Then:

• Select the use case for the access key

• Click Create Access Key, then copy or download the .csv file containing your Access Key ID and Secret access key

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⚙️ Step 4: Configure AWS CLI

Run:

aws configure

You’ll be prompted to enter:

AWS Access Key ID: YOUR_ACCESS_KEY  
AWS Secret Access Key: YOUR_SECRET_KEY  
Default region name: us-east-1  
Default output format: json

To find the region name, click the dropdown near your AWS console username:

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🧪 Step 5: Test Your Configuration

Run:

aws iam list-users

If configured correctly, you’ll see a JSON output listing your IAM users:

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📘 Summary

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🔐 Pro Tips

• Never expose your secret access key publicly.

• Use .env or environment variables for secure access.

• For production environments, prefer IAM roles instead of long-term access keys.

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🧭 Missed Part 1? Click here to read “AWS IAM: Creating Users, Policies & MFA”

🚀 Next up: AWS EC2 Beginner Guide: Launch & Host a Web Server - Coming Soon

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