AWS CloudShell FAQs
Answers to frequently asked questions about this AWS service.
For more FAQs focused on security, see AWS CloudShell security FAQs.
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Which web browsers can I use when I launch AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
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Can I download a file when I launch AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
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Can I install software that's not available in the shell environment?
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Can I restrict the actions that users can do in AWS CloudShell?
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Can I increase the limit that determines when AWS CloudShell times out because of user inactivity?
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Can I access AWS CloudShell in the AWS Console Mobile Application from the home screen?
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How can I launch AWS CloudShell in the AWS Console Mobile Application?
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Can I split the AWS CloudShell tab display into multiple tabs on the AWS Console Mobile Application?
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Can I access AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar on a mobile device?
How do I get started using AWS CloudShell?
You can get started by launching AWS CloudShell in a few steps from the AWS Management Console. To do this,
sign in to the console using your AWS account or IAM credentials at https://console.aws.amazon.com/console/home
For more information, see Getting started with AWS CloudShell.
What do I need to access AWS CloudShell?
Because you access AWS CloudShell from the AWS Management Console, you must be an IAM user who can provide a valid account alias or ID, user name, and password.
To launch AWS CloudShell on the console, you need the IAM permissions that the attached policy provides. For more information, see Managing AWS CloudShell access and usage with IAM policies.
What is AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
The CloudShell icon on the lower left of the AWS Management Console.
How do I launch AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
You can launch AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar by choosing the CloudShell icon on the lower left of the console.
Which AWS Regions is AWS CloudShell available in?
For a list of supported AWS Regions and the associated service endpoints, see the AWS CloudShell page in the Amazon Web Services General Reference.
Which AWS Region is assigned if AWS CloudShell isn't available in the selected Region when you launch CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
The default Region is assigned to a Region that's closest to the selected Region. For more information, see Select a Region, launch AWS CloudShell, and choose a shell.
You can run the command that provides permissions to manage resources in a different Region than the default Region. For more information, see Working in AWS Regions.
What types of shells can I use in AWS CloudShell?
In AWS CloudShell, you can run commands using the Bash shell, PowerShell, or the Z shell. To switch shells, enter the shell name that you want to use using the following format on the command prompt:
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bash: Use the Bash shell -
pwsh: Use PowerShell -
zsh: Use the Z shell
What web browsers can I use with AWS CloudShell?
AWS CloudShell supports the four most recent versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari.
Which web browsers can I use when I launch AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
You can launch CloudShell on the Console Toolbar using the most recent versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Currently, you can’t launch CloudShell on the Console Toolbar using Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.
Can I download a file when I launch AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar?
Yes, you can download a file when you launch CloudShell on the Console Toolbar. You can download a file using the most recent version of Google Chrome.
Currently, you can’t download a file using Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari.
What software is pre-installed on my shell environment?
With the shell that's created for AWS CloudShell sessions, you can switch seamlessly between your preferred command-line shells (Bash, PowerShell, and Z shell). You can also have access to pre-installed tools and utilities such as Make, pip, sudo, tar, tmux, Vim, Wget and Zip.
The shell environment is pre-configured with support for most major software languages. For example, you can use it to run Node.js and Python projects without first having to perform runtime installations. PowerShell users can use the .NET Core runtime.
You can add files that were created using the shell or uploaded with the shell interface to a version-controlled repository managed using a pre-installed version of git.
For more information, see Pre-installed software.
Can I install software that's not available in the shell environment?
Yes, AWS CloudShell users have sudo privileges and can install software from the command line. For more information, see Installing third-party software on your shell environment.
Can I restrict the actions that users can do in AWS CloudShell?
Yes, you can control what actions users can do in AWS CloudShell. For example, you can allow users to access AWS CloudShell but prevent them from uploading or downloading files within the shell environment. Or, alternatively, you can completely prevent users from accessing AWS CloudShell. For more information, see Managing AWS CloudShell access and usage with IAM policies.
How can I move data from my home directory if I want to change the AWS Region where I'm using AWS CloudShell?
To move your AWS CloudShell data from one AWS Region to another Region, first download the contents of your home directory in one Region to your local machine, next upload from it to the home directory in another Region. For more information, see Tutorial: Copying multiple files between your local machine and AWS CloudShell.
Can I increase the limit that determines when AWS CloudShell times out because of user inactivity?
Your shell session automatically ends after approximately 20–30 minutes if you don't interact with AWS CloudShell using your keyboard or pointer. Running processes don't count as interactions. Because CloudShell is designed for focused, task-based activities, there are no plans at present to increase this timeout limit.
If you want to perform terminal-based tasks using an AWS service with more flexible timeouts, we recommend using our cloud-based IDE, AWS Cloud9, or launching and connecting to an Amazon EC2 instance.
Can I access AWS CloudShell in the AWS Console Mobile Application from the home screen?
Yes, you can access AWS CloudShell in the AWS Console Mobile Application by logging in to the Console Mobile Application. For more information, see AWS Console Mobile Application User Guide.
How can I launch AWS CloudShell in the AWS Console Mobile Application?
You can launch AWS CloudShell using one of the following methods:
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Select the AWS CloudShell icon at the bottom of the navigation bar.
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Select the AWS CloudShell on the Services menu.
Can I use modifier keys on my iOS and Android keyboards when using AWS CloudShell in the AWS Console Mobile Application?
Yes, you can use modifier keys on your iOS and Android keyboards. For more information, see AWS Console Mobile Application User Guide.
Can I split the AWS CloudShell tab display into multiple tabs on the AWS Console Mobile Application?
No, currently you can't run multiple AWS CloudShell tabs on your mobile application.
Can I access AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar on a mobile device?
No, currently you can't access AWS CloudShell on the Console Toolbar on your mobile device.
