How to Get AWS Access Key and Secret Key

Screenshot of AWS IAM console showing access key creation

To get AWS access key and secret key, generate them through the AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) console. These credentials authenticate API requests to AWS services.

How AWS Credentials Work

AWS uses access keys for programmatic access to its services. Each key consists of:

Access Key ID: A 20-character string
Secret Access Key: A 40-character string

These act like passwords for AWS APIs. The keys are generated by IAM users or roles.

Main Types of AWS Credentials

Credential Type	Use Case
IAM User Access Keys	Individual developer access
IAM Role Credentials	EC2 instances or other AWS services
AWS STS Temporary Credentials	Short-term access for applications

How to Create Access Keys

To create access keys for an IAM user:

Sign in to the AWS Management Console
Open the IAM console
Choose "Users" and select your username
Click "Security credentials" tab
Click "Create access key"
Choose "Command Line Interface" use case
Click "Next" then "Create access key"
Download the .csv file containing your access key ID and secret access key

Note: You cannot download the secret access key later. Store it securely.

Security Best Practices

AWS recommends:

Using temporary credentials via AWS Security Token Service (STS) when possible
Rotating access keys regularly
Restricting permissions using IAM policies
Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) for users

According to AWS documentation, you should never share your secret access key or embed it in client-side code.

Common Misconceptions

Many users confuse:

Access Key ID with User ARN (Amazon Resource Name)
Secret Access Key with Password (used for AWS console login)

The access key ID is part of the credentials used for programmatic access, while the User ARN is a unique identifier for IAM users.