# Connect to your Amazon EC2 instance using Session Manager
Connect using Session Manager

Session Manager is a fully-managed AWS Systems Manager capability for managing your Amazon EC2 instances through an interactive, one-click, browser-based shell, or through the AWS CLI. You can use Session Manager to start a session with an instance in your account. After the session is started, you can run interactive commands on the instance as you would for any other connection type. For more information about Session Manager, see [AWS Systems Manager Session Manager](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/session-manager.html) in the *AWS Systems Manager User Guide*. 

**Prerequisites**  
Before you attempt to connect to an instance using Session Manager, you must complete the required setup steps. For example, the instance must be managed by SSM and must have an attached IAM role with the **AmazonSSMManagedInstanceCore** policy. For more information, see [Setting up Session Manager](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/session-manager-getting-started.html).

**To connect to an Amazon EC2 instance using Session Manager on the Amazon EC2 console**

1. Open the Amazon EC2 console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/).

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Instances**.

1. Select the instance and choose **Connect**.

1. For the connection method, choose **Session Manager**.

1. Choose **Connect** to start the session.  
![\[The Connect button on the Session Manager tab.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/images/connect-method-session-manager.png)

**Troubleshooting**  
If you receive an error that you're not authorized to perform one or more Systems Manager actions (`ssm:command-name`), you must update your policies to allow you to start sessions from the Amazon EC2 console. For more information and instructions, see [Quickstart default IAM policies for Session Manager](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/getting-started-restrict-access-quickstart.html) in the *AWS Systems Manager User Guide*.