Launch a Windows Virtual Machine in Amazon Lightsail - Launch a Windows Virtual Machine in Amazon Lightsail
OverviewImplementationConclusion

Launch a Windows Virtual Machine in Amazon Lightsail

AWS experience

Beginner

Time to complete

10 minutes

Cost to complete

Free Tier eligible

Requires

  • AWS account

    Note

    Accounts created within the past 24 hours might not yet have access to the services required for this tutorial.

  • Recommended browser: The latest version of Chrome or Firefox

Last updated

August 23, 2022

Overview

Amazon Lightsail is one of the easiest ways to get started on AWS. It offers virtual servers, storage, databases, and networking, plus a cost-effective, monthly plan.

In this tutorial, you create a Windows Server 2019 instance in Amazon Lightsail in seconds. After the instance is up and running, you connect to it via RDP within the Lightsail console using the browser-based RDP client.

Get started with Amazon Lightsail for free.

This three-minute video provides an introduction to the tutorial.

Implementation

  1. Create an Amazon Lightsail account

    Sign up for AWS

    Already have an account? Sign-in

    This tutorial is free tier eligible.

  2. Create a Windows Server 2019 instance in Amazon Lightsail

    Choose the Create instance button on the Instances tab of the Lightsail home page.

    The resource creation interface.

  1. Specify a Region and Availability Zone

    An AWS Region and Availability Zone is selected for you. Choose Change Region and Availability Zone to create your instance in another location.

    The configuration settings interface.

  2. Choose a platform and image

    Choose the Microsoft Windows platform option, and choose OS only to view the operating system-only instance images available in Lightsail. Select the Windows Server 2019 image.

    To learn more about Lightsail instance images, see Choose an Amazon Lightsail instance image.

    The selection interface.

  3. (Optional) Add a launch script

    Choose Add launch script to add a PowerShell script that will run on your instance when it launches.

    Interface element requiring manual review.

  4. Select an instance plan

    Choose your instance plan.

    You can try the $8 USD Lightsail plan free for three months (up to 750 hours). We'll credit three free months to your account.

    Learn more on the Lightsail pricing page.

    The selection interface.

  5. Enter an instance name

    Enter a name for your instance.

    Amazon Lightsail interface showing an instance being named 'Windows_Server_2019-1' with options for adding key-only and key-value tags.

  6. (Optional) Add tags

    Choose one of the following options to add tags to your instance:

    • Add key-only tags — Enter your new tag into the tag key text box, and press Enter. Choose Save when you’re done entering your tags to add them, or choose Cancel to not add them.

    • Create a key-value tag — Enter a key into the Key text box, and a value into the Value text box. Choose Save when you’re done entering your tags, or choose Cancel to not add them.

    Key-value tags can only be added one at a time before saving. To add more than one key-value tag, repeat the previous steps.

    For more information about key-only and key-value tags, see Tags in Amazon Lightsail.

    The resource creation interface.

  7. Create instance

    Choose Create instance.

    Amazon Lightsail interface showing tagging options for a Windows Server instance, with fields for key-only and key-value tags, and a highlighted "Create instance" button.

  1. Connect using RDP

    On the Instances tab of the Lightsail home page, choose the RDP icon, or the ellipsis (⋮) icon next to the Windows Server 2019 instance you just created and choose Connect.

    The resource creation interface.

  2. Use RDP to manage instance

    The browser-based RDP client window appears. You can use and manage your instance without configuring a third-party RDP client.

    The resource creation interface.

  1. Choose the instance

    Choose the name of the Windows Server 2019 instance on the Instances tab of the Lightsail homepage.

    The selection interface.

  2. Get the password

    Select the Connect tab, scroll down to the Default login credentials section of the page, and choose Retrieve default password.

    Important

    If you changed the administrator password after signing in to your Windows Server 2019 instance, then the administrator password displayed in the Lightsail console is no longer valid.

    An Amazon Lightsail instance details page showing connection options, public and private IP addresses, and a button to retrieve the default password.

  1. Delete the instance

    On the Instances tab of the Lightsail home page, choose the ellipsis (⋮) icon next to the Windows Server instance you just created and choose Delete.

    The interface controls and buttons.

  2. Confirm deletion

    Choose Yes, delete from the prompt.

    The resource creation interface.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You used Amazon Lightsail to spin up and configure a Windows instance.

Amazon Lightsail is great for developers, web pros, and anyone looking to get started on AWS in a quick and cheap way. You can launch instances, databases, and SSD-based storage; transfer data; monitor your resources; and so much more in a managed way.