Set-AWSCredential: Best Way Access Your AWS Resources (2023)

Learn how to set up AWS credentials using PowerShell and gain seamless access to your AWS resources. In this article, we walk you through the process of using the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet to securely configure and manage your AWS credentials. Discover how to authenticate and leverage the power of PowerShell for AWS management tasks.

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Uses of AWS Profiles in PowerShell

AWS profiles in PowerShell provide a convenient way to manage and access multiple AWS accounts or roles from a single PowerShell session. Here are some common uses of AWS profiles in PowerShell:

Managing Multiple AWS Accounts: If you work with multiple AWS accounts, you can create separate profiles for each account and easily switch between them using the AWS PowerShell module. This allows you to execute commands and scripts against different AWS accounts without the need to manually configure credentials each time.
Managing IAM Roles: AWS profiles can also be used to manage different IAM roles within an AWS account. By specifying the appropriate profile, you can assume IAM roles and perform actions as the role’s associated permissions.
Automating AWS Operations: With AWS profiles, you can automate AWS operations using PowerShell scripts. By configuring the necessary profile credentials, you can interact with AWS services, manage resources, and perform tasks such as creating EC2 instances, managing S3 buckets, configuring AWS Lambda functions, and more.
Cross-Account Access: AWS profiles enable you to access resources across multiple AWS accounts. For example, you can configure a profile with cross-account access permissions to perform actions on resources in another AWS account. This is useful when you need to interact with resources or perform tasks in a different account than your default one.
Testing and Development: AWS profiles are valuable for testing and development purposes. You can create a separate profile specifically for testing or development environments, allowing you to experiment with AWS resources without affecting production resources or using production credentials.

By utilizing AWS profiles in PowerShell, you can streamline your AWS operations, enhance security by separating credentials, and efficiently manage multiple AWS accounts or roles from a single PowerShell session.

Using Default Profiles

Using a default AWS profile in PowerShell allows you to configure a profile that is automatically used when interacting with AWS services, eliminating the need to specify the profile each time you run AWS commands or scripts. Here’s how you can use a default AWS profile in PowerShell:

Ensure that you have the AWS PowerShell module installed on your system. You can install it using the Install-Module cmdlet and then configure it using the Initialize-AWSDefaultConfiguration cmdlet. This step involves providing your AWS access key ID, secret access key, default region, and other optional settings.
Once the AWS PowerShell module is configured, you can set the default AWS profile by using the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet. For example, if you have configured a profile named “default” in the AWS CLI or AWS SDK, you can set it as the default profile in PowerShell by running the following command:

Set-AWSCredential -ProfileName default

Once the default AWS profile is set, you can start using AWS services without specifying the profile each time. For example, you can run AWS commands such as Get-EC2Instance or Invoke-S3BucketOperation directly, and the default profile will be used automatically.
If you have multiple AWS profiles and want to switch between them, you can set a different default profile by using the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet with the desired profile name.

Making Individual AWS Profiles

To create individual AWS profiles in PowerShell, you can follow these steps:

Ensure that you have the AWS PowerShell module installed on your system. You can install it using the Install-Module cmdlet and then configure it using the Initialize-AWSDefaultConfiguration cmdlet. This step involves providing your AWS access key ID, secret access key, default region, and other optional settings.
To create a new AWS profile, you can use the New-AWSCredential cmdlet. Specify a unique profile name for the new profile and provide the required access key ID and secret access key for the AWS account you want to associate with the profile. For example:

New-AWSCredential -ProfileName MyProfile -AccessKey YOUR_ACCESS_KEY -SecretKey YOUR_SECRET_KEY

After creating a new profile, you can set it as the current AWS profile to be used in PowerShell. You can use the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet with the desired profile name:

Set-AWSCredential -ProfileName MyProfile

Once the profile is set, you can start using AWS services with the specified profile. Run AWS commands or scripts, and the configured profile will be used automatically.
If you need to create and manage multiple profiles, repeat steps 2 to 4 for each profile, providing unique profile names and associated AWS credentials.

By creating individual AWS profiles in PowerShell, you can easily switch between different AWS accounts or IAM roles without modifying your credentials each time. Each profile can have its own set of AWS credentials, allowing you to work with multiple accounts or roles seamlessly.

Using the Existing AWS Profiles

To use existing AWS profiles in PowerShell, you can follow these steps:

To view the existing AWS profiles configured on your system, you can use the Get-AWSCredentialProfileList cmdlet. This will display a list of available profiles along with their associated AWS credentials.
Set the Current AWS Profile: To set a specific AWS profile as the current profile to be used in PowerShell, you can use the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet with the desired profile name. For example:

Set-AWSCredential -ProfileName MyProfile

Once the profile is set, you can start using AWS services with the specified profile. Run AWS commands or scripts, and the configured profile will be used automatically.
If you have multiple AWS profiles configured, you can switch between them by using the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet with the desired profile name. For example, to switch to a different profile:

Set-AWSCredential -ProfileName AnotherProfile

By using existing AWS profiles in PowerShell, you can easily work with different AWS accounts or IAM roles without having to specify AWS credentials each time. The profiles store the necessary credentials and can be switched effortlessly based on your requirements.

Deleting AWS User Profiles

To remove AWS profiles in PowerShell, you can follow these steps:

First, you need to list the existing AWS profiles configured on your system. You can use the Get-AWSCredentialProfileList cmdlet to retrieve the list of available profiles.
Once you have identified the profile you want to remove, you can use the Remove-AWSCredentialProfile cmdlet followed by the profile name to delete it. For example:

 Remove-AWSCredentialProfile -ProfileName MyProfile

This command will remove the specified AWS profile from your system.

To verify that the profile has been successfully removed, you can again use the Get-AWSCredentialProfileList cmdlet to check if the profile is no longer listed.

It’s important to note that removing an AWS profile will delete the associated AWS credentials and configuration from your system. Make sure to double-check and confirm the profile you want to remove before executing the removal command.

Per-Session AWS User Profiles

In AWS PowerShell, per-session profiles allow you to temporarily assume different AWS roles or switch between different AWS accounts within a single PowerShell session. These per-session profiles are useful when you need to work with multiple AWS environments or assume different roles with different permissions.

To use per-session profiles in AWS PowerShell, you can follow these steps:

By default, AWS PowerShell uses the default profile specified in your AWS configuration file (~/.aws/config). You can set the default profile by running the following command:

Set-AWSCredentials -ProfileName DefaultProfile

To switch to a different profile for the current session, you can use the Set-AWSCredentials cmdlet followed by the desired profile name. For example:

Set-AWSCredentials -ProfileName MyProfile

This command will switch the current session to use the specified profile.

You can verify the current profile being used in the session by running the following command: Get-AWSCredential -ListProfileDetail This command will display the details of the current profile, including the profile name, access key, and secret key.

You can repeat the process to switch to different profiles within the same PowerShell session as needed.

Remember that per-session profiles are only active within the current PowerShell session and do not affect the default profile or other PowerShell sessions.

By using the Set-AWSCredential cmdlet, you can easily configure and manage your AWS credentials with PowerShell. This enables you to access and interact with your AWS resources effortlessly. Take advantage of the power and flexibility of PowerShell to streamline your AWS management tasks and maximize your productivity in the AWS environment.