# Getting started with an AWS account
If you're new to AWS, the first step is to sign up for an AWS account. When you do so, AWS will create an account using the details you provide and assign it to you.
The topics in this section will help you get started with learning about and setting up a new AWS account.
**Topics**
+ [Prerequisites for creating a new AWS account](getting-started-prerequisites.md)
+ [Create an AWS account](manage-acct-creating.md)
+ [Activate MFA for your root user](getting-started-step3.md)
+ [Create an administrator user](getting-started-step4.md)
+ [Accessing your AWS account](accounts-access-account.md)
# Prerequisites for creating a new AWS account
To sign up for an AWS account, you'll need to provide the following information:
+ **Root user email address** – The email address is used as the sign-in name for the [root user](root-user.md) and is required for account recovery. You must be able to receive email messages that are sent to this address. Before you can perform certain tasks, you must verify that you have access to email sent to this address.
+ **AWS account name** – The name of the account appears in several places, such as on your invoice, and in consoles such as the Billing and Cost Management dashboard and the AWS Organizations console. We recommend that you use a standard way to name your accounts so that you can give your accounts names that are easy to recognize. For company accounts, consider using a naming standard such as *organization*-*purpose*-*environment* (for example, *AnyCompany*-*audit*-*prod*). For personal accounts, consider using a naming standard such as *first name*-*last name*-*purpose* (for example, *paulo-santos-testaccount*).
+ **Address** – If your contact and billing address is in India, the user agreement for your account is with Amazon Web Services India Private Limited (AWS India), a local AWS seller in India. You must provide your CVV as part of the verification process. You might also have to enter a one-time password, depending on your bank. AWS India charges your payment method 2 INR as part of the verification process. AWS India refunds the 2 INR after verification is complete.
+ **Phone number** – This number is used for identity verification purposes and to confirm the ownership of your account. You must be able to receive calls and SMS messages at this phone number.
**Important**
If this account is for a business, use a corporate phone number so that your company can retain access to the AWS account even when an employee changes positions or leaves the company.
# Create an AWS account
These instructions are for creating an AWS account outside of India. For creating an account in India, see [Create an AWS account with AWS India](managing-accounts-india.md#create-india-account). For creating an account that's part of an organization managed by AWS Organizations, see [Creating a member account in an organization](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/organizations/latest/userguide/orgs_manage_accounts_create.html) in the *AWS Organizations User Guide*.
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#### [ AWS Management Console ]
**To create an AWS account**
1. Open the [Sign up for AWS](https://signin.aws.amazon.com/signup?request_type=register) page.
1. Enter the root user email address and AWS account name, and then choose **Verify email address**. This will send a verification code to your specified email address.
**Important**
If this account is for a business, use a secure corporate distribution list (for example, `it.admins@example.com`) so that your company can retain access to the AWS account even when an employee changes positions or leaves the company. Because the email address can be used to reset the account's root user credentials, protect access to this distribution list or address.
1. Enter your verification code, and then choose **Verify**.
1. Enter a strong password for your root user, confirm it, and then choose **Continue**. AWS requires that your password meet the following conditions:
+ It must have a minimum of 8 characters and a maximum of 128 characters.
+ It must include a minimum of three of the following mix of character types: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and \$1 @ \$1 \$1 % ^ & \$1 () <> [] \$1\$1 \$1 \$1\$1-= symbols.
+ It must not be identical to your AWS account name or email address.
1. Choose **Business** or **Personal**. Personal accounts and business accounts have the same features and functions.
1. Enter your company or personal information.
**Important**
For business AWS accounts, it's a best practice to enter a company phone number rather than a number for a personal phone. Configuring the account's root user with an individual email address or a personal phone number can make your account insecure.
1. Read and accept the [AWS Customer Agreement](https://aws.amazon.com/agreement/). Be sure that you read and understand the terms of the AWS Customer Agreement.
1. Choose **Continue**. At this point, you'll receive an email message to confirm that your AWS account is ready to use. You can sign in to your new account by using the email address and password you provided during sign up. However, you can't use any AWS services until you finish activating your account.
1. Enter the information about your payment method, and then choose **Verify and Continue**. If you want to use a different billing address for your AWS billing information, choose **Use a new address**.
You can't proceed with the sign-up process until you add a valid payment method.
1. Enter your country or region code from the list, and then enter a phone number where you can be reached in the next few minutes.
1. Enter the code displayed in the CAPTCHA, and then submit.
1. When the automated system contacts you, enter the PIN you receive and then submit.
1. Select one of the available AWS Support plans. For a description of the available Support plans and their benefits, see [Compare Support plans](https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/features).
1. Choose **Complete sign up**. A confirmation page appears that indicates that your account is being activated.
1. Check your email and spam folder for an email message that confirms your account was activated. Activation usually takes a few minutes but can sometimes take up to 24 hours.
1. After you receive the activation message, you can sign-in to the [AWS Management Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/) to start using AWS services. For general information about how to manage your account settings, see [Configure your AWS account](managing-accounts.md).
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#### [ AWS CLI & SDKs ]
You can create member accounts in an organization that is managed by AWS Organizations by running the [CreateAccount](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/organizations/latest/APIReference/API_CreateAccount.html) operation while signed in to the organization's management account.
You can't create a standalone AWS account outside of an organization by using an AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) or AWS API operation.
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# Activate MFA for your root user
We strongly recommend that you activate MFA for your root user. MFA dramatically lowers the risk of someone accessing your account without your authorization.
1. Sign in to the [AWS Management Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/) as the account owner by choosing **Root user** and entering your AWS account email address. On the next page, enter your password.
For help signing in using your root user, see [Sign in to the AWS Management Console as the root user](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/signin/latest/userguide/introduction-to-root-user-sign-in-tutorial.html) in the *AWS Sign-In User Guide*.
1. Turn on MFA for your root user.
For instructions, see [Enable a virtual MFA device for your AWS account root user (console)](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_credentials_mfa_enable_virtual.html#enable-virt-mfa-for-root) in the *IAM User Guide*.
# Create an administrator user
Because you can't restrict what a root user can do, we strongly recommend that you don't use your root user for any tasks that don't explicitly require the root user. Instead, assign administrative access to an administrative user in IAM Identity Center, and sign in as that administrative user to perform your daily administrative tasks.
For instructions, see [Set up AWS account access for an IAM Identity Center administrative user](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/get-started-assign-account-access-admin-user.html) in the *IAM Identity Center User Guide*.
## Related topics
+ For information about protecting your root user credentials, see [Securing the credentials for the root user](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/root-user_secure_credentials.html) in the *IAM User Guide*.
+ For a list of tasks that require the root user, see [Tasks that require root user credentials](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/root-user-tasks.html) in the *IAM User Guide*.
# Accessing your AWS account
You can access your AWS account in any of the following ways:
**AWS Management Console**
[The AWS Management Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/organizations/) is a browser-based interface that you can use to manage your AWS account settings and your AWS resources.
**AWS Command Line Tools**
With the AWS command line tools, you can issue commands at your system's command line to perform AWS account and AWS tasks. Working with the command line can be faster and more convenient than using the console. The command line tools also are useful if you want to build scripts that perform AWS tasks. AWS provides two sets of command line tools:
+ [AWS Command Line Interface](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/) (AWS CLI). For information about installing and using the AWS CLI, see the [AWS Command Line Interface User Guide](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/).
+ [AWS Tools for Windows PowerShell](https://aws.amazon.com/powershell/). For information about installing and using the Tools for Windows PowerShell, see the [AWS Tools for PowerShell User Guide](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/userguide/).
**AWS SDKs**
The AWS SDKs consist of libraries and sample code for various programming languages and platforms (for example, Java, Python, Ruby, .NET, iOS, and Android). The SDKs take care of tasks such as cryptographically signing requests, managing errors, and retrying requests automatically. For more information about the AWS SDKs, including how to download and install them, see [Tools for Amazon Web Services](https://aws.amazon.com/tools/#sdk).
**AWS Account Management HTTPS Query API**
The AWS Account Management HTTPS Query API gives you programmatic access to your AWS account and AWS. The HTTPS Query API lets you issue HTTPS requests directly to the service. When you use the HTTPS API, you must include code to digitally sign requests using your credentials. For more information, see [Calling the API by making HTTP Query requests](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/accounts/latest/reference/query-requests.html).