# Execute a change set for a CloudFormation stack
<a name="using-cfn-updating-stacks-changesets-execute"></a>

To make the changes described in a change set to your stack, execute the change set.

**Important**  
After you execute a change set, CloudFormation deletes any additional change sets that are associated with the stack because they're no longer valid for the updated stack. If an update fails, you need to create a new change set.

**Stack Policies and Executing a Change Set**  
If you execute a change set on a stack that has a stack policy associated with it, CloudFormation enforces the policy when it updates the stack. You can't specify a temporary stack policy that overrides the existing policy when you execute a change set. To update a protected resource, you must update the stack policy or use the direct update method. For more information, see [Update stacks directly](using-cfn-updating-stacks-direct.md).

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#### [ Execute a change set (console) ]

**To execute a change set**

1. Open the CloudFormation console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation](https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/).

1. On the navigation bar at the top of the screen, choose your AWS Region.

1. On the **Stacks** page, choose the name the stack that you want to update.

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Change sets** to view a list of the stack's change sets.

1. Choose the name of the change set that you want to execute.

1. On the change set's details page, choose **Execute change set**.

   CloudFormation immediately starts updating the stack. The CloudFormation console directs you to the **Events** tab, where you can monitor the progress of the stack update. For more information, see [Monitor stack progress](monitor-stack-progress.md).

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#### [ Execute a change set for nested stacks (console) ]

**To execute a change set for nested stacks**

1. Open the CloudFormation console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation](https://console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation/).

1. On the navigation bar at the top of the screen, choose your AWS Region.

1. On the **Stacks** page, choose the name the stack that you want to update. You must choose the stack name associated with the root change set.

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Change sets** to view a list of the stack's change sets.

1. Choose the name of the root change set that you want to execute.

1. On the change set's details page, choose **Execute change set**.
**Note**  
CloudFormation executes the changes described in your root change set and nested change sets, if **Enabled** for change sets for nested stacks was selected during the [Create a change set for a CloudFormation stack](using-cfn-updating-stacks-changesets-create.md) process.

   CloudFormation immediately starts updating the stack. The CloudFormation console directs you to the **Events** tab, where you can monitor the progress of the stack update. For more information, see [Monitor stack progress](monitor-stack-progress.md).

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**To execute a change set (AWS CLI)**
+ Run the [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/cloudformation/execute-change-set.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/cloudformation/execute-change-set.html) command.

  Specify the change set ID of the change set that you want to execute, as shown in the following example:

  ```
  aws cloudformation execute-change-set \
      --change-set-name \
        arn:aws:cloudformation:us-east-1:123456789012:changeSet/SampleChangeSet/1a2345b6-0000-00a0-a123-00abc0abc000
  ```

  The command in the example executes a change set with the ID `arn:aws:cloudformation:us-east-1:123456789012:changeSet/SampleChangeSet/1a2345b6-0000-00a0-a123-00abc0abc000`.

  After you run the command, CloudFormation starts updating the stack. To view the stack's progress, use the [describe-stacks](service_code_examples.md#describe-stacks-sdk) command.