Set Up An AWS Account

Set up your AWS account so you're ready to build cloud projects.

Introduction

⚡️ 30 Second Summary

Every AWS cloud project starts the same way: with an AWS account.

In this project, you will create your own AWS account, learn about the AWS Free Tier and configure billing alerts to avoid surprise charges.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

☁️ A fully activated AWS account with root user credentials.
💰 Billing alerts configured so you never get a surprise charge.
🆓 An understanding of the AWS Free Tier.
💎 Secret Mission: Add multi-factor authentication to secure your root account like a cloud professional.

Do I need to pay to do this project?

No! AWS offers a Free Tier that includes 30+ Always Free services. You will need a credit or debit card during sign-up, but AWS only places a temporary $1 authorization hold that is not a charge.

Not sure if this project is right for you? Check if it matches your goals

If you're up for a bit of a challenge, quiz yourself on the key concepts up ahead in this project.

Create Your AWS Account

Before you can build anything in the cloud, you need a place to build it. Your AWS account is that place.

In this step, you create your own AWS account. It is completely free to sign up, and you will not be charged for anything during this project.

In this step, get ready to:

Sign up for a new AWS account.
Verify your email address.
Create a strong root user password.

Open the AWS sign up page.

Enter your email address in the Root user email address field.

What is a root user?

The root user is the main account owner with full access to everything in your AWS account. Think of it like the master key to a building. Every AWS account has exactly one root user, and it is created during sign-up.

Enter an AWS account name.

This can be anything you like, such as your name or a project name. It shows up in the top-right corner of the AWS Console and is only visible to you.

Click Verify email address.

Check your email inbox for a verification code from AWS.
Enter the verification code on the AWS sign-up page.

Didn't receive the email?

Check your spam or junk folder. If it is still not there, click Resend code on the AWS page. The email comes from "Amazon Web Services" and may take a minute to arrive. Still having trouble?

Set your root user password

Type in a strong password for your root user.

Pro tip

Use a password manager

A password manager like 1Password, Bitwarden, or the one built into your browser can generate and store strong passwords for you. This is much safer than reusing a password you already use elsewhere.

Confirm the password by typing it again.
Click Continue.

Your AWS account is almost there! Next, you'll choose a plan and set up billing.

Set Up Billing

You've verified your email and the next thing you want to do is choose a plan and add your payment details.

In this step, you'll select the Free plan, enter your contact information, and add a payment method so your account is ready to go.

In this step, get ready to:

Choose your account plan.
Enter your contact information.
Add a payment method.

Choose your account plan

Select Choose free plan.

What is the Free plan?

The Free plan gives you 6 months of access with up to $200 in credits. You get free usage for select AWS services and your workloads will not scale beyond the free plan limits.

After 6 months, or when your credits run out, you can choose to upgrade to a paid plan. Otherwise, the account closes automatically.

What services are included in the AWS Free Tier?

Enter your contact information

Type in your full name, phone number, and location information.

Read the AWS Customer Agreement.
Tick the "I have read and agree to the terms" checkbox.
Click Agree and Continue.

Why does AWS ask for this information?

AWS uses your phone number as a way to secure your account with multi-factor authentication. This step adds an extra layer of protection for your account.

Different parts of the world have different laws around tech and data, so AWS uses your physical address to make sure they don’t give you access to anything that’s not allowed where you live.

Add a payment method

On the Billing Information page, enter your credit/debit card information.

You will not get charged.

What do I do if I don’t have a credit card?

If you don’t have a credit card, you can use digital international cards like Wise or Revolut, or even Gift Cards to get started. You can also check out this community post for more tips.

AWS also requires a payment method for identity verification.

Why does AWS need my card if the Free Tier is free?

It seems weird, but AWS asks for your payment method for two main reasons:

They want to make sure you’re a real person (not a bot trying to get free cloud resources).
If you choose to go past your Free Tier limits, they need a way to charge for that extra usage.

But don’t worry! You can totally stay within those Free Tier limits and never get charged. NextWork projects are designed to keep you safely in the free zone. Ask our community members if you’re still not sure!

Click Continue.

My card was declined?

Some prepaid cards or virtual cards are not accepted. Try a different credit or debit card. International cards are accepted. Need more help?

Next up, you will verify your identity and choose a support plan to finish creating your account.

Complete Sign-Up

You have added your payment method. Now you need to verify your identity and select a support plan to activate your account.

In this step, get ready to:

Confirm your identity.
Select a support plan.

Confirm your identity

Select your Country code from the dropdown.
Enter your mobile phone number.
Click Send SMS.

Enter the verification code you received via text message.

Didn't receive the code?

Make sure you entered the correct phone number with your country code. Try clicking Resend SMS if the code does not arrive within a minute. Still stuck?

Click Continue.

✔️ All done! No issues

You are good to go! Continue to the support plan selection below.

ⓧ I see 'not eligible for the free plan'

If you see a message saying "You are not eligible for the free plan", it means your information is associated with an existing or previously registered AWS account.

You will be upgraded to a paid plan, which means charges are based on pay-as-you-go pricing and you will not receive the $200 in credits.

Don't worry, most NextWork projects use the AWS Free Tier, which is separate from the Free plan credits. If a project uses paid resources, we'll make it explicitly clear.

Check the acknowledgment box.
Click Confirm to continue.

Still stuck?

Get help with your error or share your error with the NextWork community!

Select a support plan

On the Select a support plan page, choose Basic support - Free.
Click Complete sign up.

What is included in the Basic support plan?

The Basic plan is free and includes access to AWS documentation, forums, and AWS Trusted Advisor checks. It is more than enough for learning and personal projects.

Paid plans like Business Support+ include faster response times and technical support, which companies use for production workloads.

Your account is now fully activated. In most cases, activation is instant. In rare cases, it can take up to 24 hours.

Now that your account is all set up, let's ensure that you'll get alerted if you are close to hitting the free tier limits.

Enable Free Tier Alerts

Your account is already on the Free Tier, so you will not be charged for NextWork projects. As an extra safety net, let's set up billing alerts so AWS emails you if you ever get close to a Free Tier limit.

In this step, get ready to:

Log in to the AWS Console.
Navigate to Billing Preferences.
Enable Free Tier usage alerts.

Open the AWS Console.
Enter your email address in the Root user email address field.

Enter your password.

Check your email inbox for a verification code from AWS.
Enter the verification code on the AWS sign in page.

Didn't receive the verification code?

Check your spam or junk folder. If it is still not there, click Resend code on the AWS page. The email comes from "Amazon Web Services" and may take a minute to arrive. Still having trouble?

Enable Free Tier usage alerts

Let's make sure AWS sends you an email if you are getting close to your Free Tier limits.

What do usage alerts do?

AWS will send you an email when your usage reaches 85% of a Free Tier limit. This gives you time to stop or adjust your usage before any charges apply. It is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself from surprise bills.

In the top right corner of the AWS Management Console, click your account name.

Select Billing and Cost Management from the dropdown menu.

Click Billing preferences in the left sidebar.

Scroll down to the Alert preferences section.

Click Edit.

Check the box next to Receive AWS Free Tier alerts.

What about "Receive CloudWatch billing alerts"?

CloudWatch billing alerts let you set custom dollar thresholds and trigger alarms, but require extra setup in CloudWatch. The "Receive AWS Free Tier alerts" option is simpler and purpose-built for what we need.

You can also customize where these alerts are sent.

Want to get alerts to a different email?

If you want billing emails to be sent to a different address, type in your email address in the field provided.

Click Update.

You will now get an email whenever you are close to exceeding a Free Tier limit. Wohoo, your AWS account is fully set up and ready to go. You're now ready to start building!

Secret mission

Your AWS account is live, but is it secured the way a cloud professional would do it?

Cloud professionals enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on their accounts. It's a non-negotiable security practice. AWS itself flags accounts without MFA as a critical security risk. In this secret mission, you will do exactly what real cloud engineers do on day one.

In this secret mission, get ready to:

Explore the IAM Dashboard
Set up a virtual authenticator app.
Enable MFA on your root account.

Add Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

That's a wrap!

You did it! ☁️ You now have a fully activated AWS account, billing alerts locked in, and the Free Tier ready to go. You are officially ready to start building in the cloud!

You've learned how to:

☁️ Create an AWS account with root user credentials.
🔔 Enable billing alerts to prevent surprise charges.
✅ Verify your identity.
💎 Add multi-factor authentication to secure your root account.

Ready to quiz yourself? 💪

What's next?

Your AWS account is the gateway to every cloud project on NextWork. Here are some great places to start:

Host a Website on S3 - Upload and host a static website using Amazon S3.
Build a Virtual Network (VPC) - Create your first cloud network from scratch.
Secure Your AWS Account with IAM - Set up users, groups, and permissions.

Let us create a personalized roadmap for you!

p.s. Does it say "Still tasks to complete!" at the bottom of the screen?

This means you still have screenshots left to upload, or questions left to answer!

Press Ctrl+F (Windows) or Command+F (Mac) on your keyboard.
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🙋‍♀️ Still stuck? Ask the community!