How to set up multiple AWS accounts manually
1. Obtain Access Keys
Go to the AWS Console:
IAM > Security Credentials > Access Keys
Create or retrieve your Access Key ID and Secret Access Key.
2. Configure AWS Credentials File
Edit or create the file:~/.aws/credentials
[default]
aws_access_key_id = {{aws_access_key_id}}
aws_secret_access_key = {{aws_secret_access_key}}
[{{profile_name}}]
aws_access_key_id = {{aws_access_key_id}}
aws_secret_access_key = {{aws_secret_access_key}}
3. Configure AWS Config File
Edit or create the file:~/.aws/config
[default]
region = {{region}}
output = {{output_format}} # e.g., json or text
[profile {{profile_name}}]
region = {{region}}
output = {{output_format}} # e.g., json or text
4. Use AWS CLI with Profiles
Install the AWS CLI if you haven't already.
Run commands using the default or a named profile:
# Using the default profile
aws ec2 describe-instances
# Using a custom profile
aws ec2 describe-instances --profile {{profile_name}}
Configuration and credential file settings in the AWS CLI - AWS Command Line Interface
You can save your frequently used configuration settings and credentials in files that are divided into named profiles.
