Create Windows Server instances in Lightsail

Sign in to Lightsail, and then go to the home page.

Choose Create instance.

Select an AWS Region where you want to create your Windows Server-based Lightsail instance.

For example, Ohio (us-east-2).

Select the Microsoft Windows platform.

To choose the Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016 blueprint, choose OS Only.

To choose the SQL Server Express blueprint, choose Apps + OS.

Choose your instance plan.

Choose whether your instance uses dual-stack (IPv4 and IPv6), or IPv6-only networking. Some Lightsail blueprints don't support IPv6-only networking at this time. To see which blueprints support IPv6-only networking see Review the Lightsail instance blueprint offerings.

A plan also includes a low, predictable cost and a machine configuration (RAM, SSD, vCPU), as well as data transfer.

Enter a name for your instance.

Resource names:

Choose one of the following options to add tags to your instance:

Choose Create instance.

If you haven't done so already, install and configure the AWS CLI.

For more information, see Configure the AWS Command Line Interface to work with Amazon Lightsail.

Open a command prompt or a terminal window.

If you haven't done so already, configure the AWS CLI using aws configure and select the AWS Region where you want to create your Lightsail resources.

Type the following AWS CLI command to create a $44 USD per month Windows Server 2022 instance running in the Ohio region:

aws lightsail create-instances --instance-names InstanceName --availability-zone us-east-2a --blueprint-id windows_server_2022 --bundle-id medium_win_3_0

In the command, replace InstanceName with the name of your new instance.

If successful, you'll see the following output from the AWS CLI.

{
    "operations": [
        {
            "status": "Started",
            "resourceType": "Instance",
            "isTerminal": false,
            "statusChangedAt": 1508086226.4,
            "location": {
                "availabilityZone": "us-east-2a",
                "regionName": "us-east-2"
            },
            "operationType": "CreateInstance",
            "resourceName": "my-windows-instance",
            "id": "344acdc8-f9c4-4eda-8232-12345EXAMPLE",
            "createdAt": 1508086225.467
        }
    ]
}

On the home page, choose the Connect using RDP icon next to your instance.

Alternately, you can connect to your instance from the shortcut menu or the instance management page.

To get your IP address, go to the Lightsail home page.

Copy the IP address to the clipboard.

Open an RDP client such as Remote Desktop Connection in Windows.

Paste the IP address into the Computer field.

Choose Show Options, and then type Administrator for your User name.

Choose Connect.

To get your password, go to the instance management page in Lightsail.

You can get to the instance management page by choosing the name of your instance (or choosing Manage from the shortcut menu) on the Lightsail home page.

Choose Show default password.

Copy the default password to the clipboard.

Paste your password into Remote Desktop Connection, and then choose Remember me to prevent this dialog box from appearing in the future.

Choose OK.

Choose Don't ask me again for connections to this computer, and then choose Yes.