# Step 1: Set up an AWS account and create a User
<a name="setting-up"></a>

Before you use Amazon Rekognition for the first time, you must complete the following tasks:

1. Sign up for an AWS account.

1. Create a User.

This section of the developer guide explains why and how you'll create an AWS account and user.

**Topics**
+ [Create an AWS Account and User](#setting-up-iam)

## Create an AWS Account and User
<a name="setting-up-iam"></a>

**AWS Accounts**

When you sign up for Amazon Web Services (AWS), your AWS account is automatically signed up for all services in AWS, including Amazon Rekognition. You're charged only for the services that you use.

With Amazon Rekognition, you pay only for the resources that you use. 

If you're a new AWS customer, you can get started with Amazon Rekognition for free. For more information, see [AWS Free Usage Tier](https://aws.amazon.com/free/).

Refer to the upcoming [Sign up for an AWS account](#sign-up-for-aws) section for account creation instructions.

If you already have an AWS account, skip account setup and create an administrative user.

**Users**

Services in AWS, such as Amazon Rekognition, require that you provide credentials when you access them. This is so that the service can determine whether you have permissions to access the resources owned by that service. 

You can create access keys for your AWS account to access the AWS CLI or APIs while using the console requires your password. However, we don't recommend that you access AWS by using the credentials for your AWS account root user. Instead, we recommend that you use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) to create an administrative user.

You can then access AWS by using a special URL and that administrative user's credentials.

If you signed up for AWS, but you haven't yet created a user for yourself, you can create one by using the IAM console. Refer to the upcoming [Create a user with administrative access](#create-an-admin) section for instructions about how to create an administrative user.



### Sign up for an AWS account
<a name="sign-up-for-aws"></a>

If you do not have an AWS account, complete the following steps to create one.

**To sign up for an AWS account**

1. Open [https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup](https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup).

1. Follow the online instructions.

   Part of the sign-up procedure involves receiving a phone call or text message and entering a verification code on the phone keypad.

   When you sign up for an AWS account, an *AWS account root user* is created. The root user has access to all AWS services and resources in the account. As a security best practice, assign administrative access to a user, and use only the root user to perform [tasks that require root user access](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/IAM/latest/UserGuide/id_root-user.html#root-user-tasks).

AWS sends you a confirmation email after the sign-up process is complete. At any time, you can view your current account activity and manage your account by going to [https://aws.amazon.com/](https://aws.amazon.com/) and choosing **My Account**.

### Create a user with administrative access
<a name="create-an-admin"></a>

After you sign up for an AWS account, secure your AWS account root user, enable AWS IAM Identity Center, and create an administrative user so that you don't use the root user for everyday tasks.

**Secure your AWS account root user**

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 by using root user, see [Signing in as the root user](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/signin/latest/userguide/console-sign-in-tutorials.html#introduction-to-root-user-sign-in-tutorial) in the *AWS Sign-In User Guide*.

1. Turn on multi-factor authentication (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/enable-virt-mfa-for-root.html) in the *IAM User Guide*.

**Create a user with administrative access**

1. Enable IAM Identity Center.

   For instructions, see [Enabling AWS IAM Identity Center](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/get-set-up-for-idc.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

1. In IAM Identity Center, grant administrative access to a user.

   For a tutorial about using the IAM Identity Center directory as your identity source, see [ Configure user access with the default IAM Identity Center directory](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/quick-start-default-idc.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

**Sign in as the user with administrative access**
+ To sign in with your IAM Identity Center user, use the sign-in URL that was sent to your email address when you created the IAM Identity Center user.

  For help signing in using an IAM Identity Center user, see [Signing in to the AWS access portal](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/signin/latest/userguide/iam-id-center-sign-in-tutorial.html) in the *AWS Sign-In User Guide*.

**Assign access to additional users**

1. In IAM Identity Center, create a permission set that follows the best practice of applying least-privilege permissions.

   For instructions, see [ Create a permission set](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/get-started-create-a-permission-set.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.

1. Assign users to a group, and then assign single sign-on access to the group.

   For instructions, see [ Add groups](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/addgroups.html) in the *AWS IAM Identity Center User Guide*.