# Create an alarm that sends an email when an Amazon EC2 instance changes state
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To receive email notifications when your instance changes state, create an Amazon SNS topic and then create an EventBridge rule for the `EC2 Instance State-change Notification` event.

**To create an SNS topic**

1. Open the Amazon SNS console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/sns/v3/home](https://console.aws.amazon.com/sns/v3/home).

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Topics**.

1. Choose **Create topic**.

1. For **Type**, choose **Standard**.

1. For **Name**, enter a name for your topic.

1. Choose **Create topic**.

1. Choose **Create subscription**.

1. For **Protocol**, choose **Email**.

1. For **Endpoint**, enter the email address that receives the notifications.

1. Choose **Create subscription**.

1. You'll receive an email message with the following subject line: AWS Notification - Subscription Confirmation. Follow the directions to confirm your subscription.

**To create an EventBridge rule**

1. Open the Amazon EventBridge console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/events/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/events/).

1. Choose **Create rule**.

1. For **Name**, enter a name for your rule.

1. For **Rule type**, choose **Rule with an event pattern**.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. For **Event pattern**, do the following:

   1. For **Event source**, choose **AWS services**.

   1. For **AWS service**, choose **EC2**.

   1. For **Event type**, choose **EC2 Instance State-change Notification**.

   1. By default, we send notifications for any state change for any instance. If you prefer, you can select specific states or specific instances.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Specify a target as follows:

   1. For **Target types**, choose **AWS service**.

   1. For **Select a target**, choose **SNS topic**.

   1. For **Topic**, choose the SNS topic that you created in the previous procedure.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. (Optional) Add tags to your rule.

1. Choose **Next**.

1. Choose **Create rule**.

1. To test your rule, initiate a state change. For example, start a stopped instance, stop a running instance, or launch an instance. You'll receive email messages with the following subject line: AWS Notification Message. The body of the email contains the event data.