# Associating a package version to an Amazon IoT thing
<a name="associating-package-version"></a>

After you install software on your device, you can associate a package version to an Amazon IoT thing’s reserved named shadow. If Amazon IoT jobs has been configured to update the thing’s reserved named shadow after the job deploys and successfully completes, you don’t need to complete this procedure. For more information, see [Reserved named shadow](preparing-to-use-software-package-catalog.md#reserved-named-shadow). 

**Prerequisites:**

Before you begin, do the following:
+ Create an Amazon IoT thing, or things, and establish telemetry through Amazon IoT Core. For more information, see [Getting started with Amazon IoT Core](https://docs.amazonaws.cn/iot/latest/developerguide/iot-gs.html). 
+  Create a software package and package version. For more information, see [Creating a software package and package version](creating-package-and-version.md). 
+  Install the package version software on the device. 

**Note**  
Associating a package version to an Amazon IoT thing doesn’t update or install software on the physical device. The package version must be deployed to the device. 

**To associate a package version to an Amazon IoT thing**

1. On the [Amazon IoT console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iot/home) navigation pane, expand the **All devices** menu and choose **Things**.

1. Identify the Amazon IoT thing that you want to update from the list and choose the thing name to display its details page.

1. In the **Details** section, choose **Packages and versions**.

1.  Choose **Add to package and version**. 

1.  For **Choose a device package**, choose the software package you want. 

1.  For **Choose a version**, choose the software version you want. 

1.  Choose **Add device package**. 

    The package and version appear on the **Selected packages and versions** list. 

1.  Repeat these steps for each package and version that you want to associate to this thing. 

1.  When you’re finished, choose **Add package and version details**. The **Thing details** page opens and you can see the new package and version in the list.