Change the password for the Amazon Web Services account root user - Amazon Identity and Access Management
Services or capabilities described in Amazon Web Services documentation might vary by Region. To see the differences applicable to the China Regions, see Getting Started with Amazon Web Services in China (PDF).

Change the password for the Amazon Web Services account root user

You can change the email address and password from either the Security Credentials or the Account page. You can also choose Forgot password? on the Amazon sign-in page to reset your password.

To change the root user's password, you must sign in as the Amazon Web Services account root user and not as an IAM user. To learn how to reset a forgotten root user password, see Resetting a lost or forgotten root user password.

To protect your password, it's important to follow these best practices:

  • Change your password periodically.

  • Keep your password private because anyone who knows your password can access your account.

  • Use a different password on Amazon than you use on other sites.

  • Avoid passwords that are easy to guess. These include passwords such as secret, password, amazon, or 123456. Also avoid things like dictionary words, your name, email address, or other personal information that someone can easily obtain.

Amazon Web Services Management Console
To change the password for the root user
Minimum permissions

To perform the following steps, you must have at least the following IAM permissions:

  • You must sign in as the Amazon Web Services account root user, which requires no additional Amazon Identity and Access Management (IAM) permissions. You can't perform these steps as an IAM user or role.

  1. Use your Amazon Web Services account's email address and password to sign in to the Getting Started with the Amazon Web Services Management Console as your Amazon Web Services account root user.

  2. In the upper right corner of the console, choose your account name or number and then choose Account.

  3. On the Account page, next to Account settings, choose Edit. You are prompted to re-authenticate for security purposes.

    Note

    If you don't see the Edit option, it is likely that you are not signed in as the root user for your account. You can't modify account settings while signed in as an IAM user or role.

  4. On the Update account settings page, under Password, choose Edit.

  5. On the Update your password page, fill out the fields for Current password, New password, and Confirm new password.

    Important

    Make sure to choose a strong password. Although you can set an account password policy for IAM users, that policy doesn't apply to the root user.

    Amazon requires that your password meet the following conditions:

    • It must have a minimum of 8 characters and a maximum of 128 characters.

    • It must include a minimum of three of the following mix of character types: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and ! @ # $ % ^ & * () <> [] {} | _+-= symbols.

    • It must not be identical to your Amazon Web Services account name or email address.

    Note

    Amazon is rolling out improvements to the sign-in process. One of those improvements is to enforce a more secure password policy for your account. If Amazon has upgraded your account, you are required to meet the password policy described earlier. If Amazon hasn't yet upgraded your account, then Amazon doesn't yet enforce this policy. However, we strongly recommend that you follow its guidelines for a more secure password.

  6. Choose Save changes.

Amazon Web Services Management Console

This task isn't supported in the Amazon CLI or by an API operation from one of the Amazon SDKs. You can perform this task only by using the Amazon Web Services Management Console.