# Setting up Session Manager
<a name="session-manager-getting-started"></a>

Before you use AWS Systems Manager Session Manager to connect to the managed nodes in your account, complete the steps in the following topics.

**Topics**
+ [Step 1: Complete Session Manager prerequisites](session-manager-prerequisites.md)
+ [Step 2: Verify or add instance permissions for Session Manager](session-manager-getting-started-instance-profile.md)
+ [Step 3: Control session access to managed nodes](session-manager-getting-started-restrict-access.md)
+ [Step 4: Configure session preferences](session-manager-getting-started-configure-preferences.md)
+ [Step 5: (Optional) Restrict access to commands in a session](session-manager-restrict-command-access.md)
+ [Step 6: (Optional) Use AWS PrivateLink to set up a VPC endpoint for Session Manager](session-manager-getting-started-privatelink.md)
+ [Step 7: (Optional) Turn on or turn off ssm-user account administrative permissions](session-manager-getting-started-ssm-user-permissions.md)
+ [Step 8: (Optional) Allow and control permissions for SSH connections through Session Manager](session-manager-getting-started-enable-ssh-connections.md)