# View and manage IP addresses for Lightsail resources You can communicate with your Lightsail instance, and other Lightsail resources, using their IP addresses. For example, using the public IP address of your instance, you can check the network status of your instance (using PING), establish an SSH connection to your instance, and route traffic to your instance from a custom domain name. There are many more things you can do with the IP address of your Lightsail resources. Lightsail instances, container services, and load balancers support both the IPv4 and IPv6 addressing protocols. These resources use the IPv4 addressing protocol by default; you can't disable this behavior. You can optionally enable IPv6 for your instances, container services, and load balancers. In this guide, we cover what you need to know about IP addresses in Lightsail. **Contents** + [Private and public IPv4 addresses for instances](#ipv4-addresses) + [Static IP addresses for instances](#static-ip-addresses-for-instances) + [IPv6 for instances, container services, CDN distributions, and load balancers](#ipv6-for-resources) ## Private and public IPv4 addresses for instances When you create a Lightsail instance, it is assigned a public and a private IPv4 address. The public IP address is accessible to the internet, while the private IP address is accessible only to resources in your Lightsail account in the same AWS Region. **Note** The private IP address of your instance can be accessible to other AWS resources in the same AWS Region, but outside of your Lightsail account, if you enable VPC peering. For more information, see [Set up Amazon VPC peering to work with AWS resources outside of Lightsail](lightsail-how-to-set-up-vpc-peering-with-aws-resources.md). The IP addresses of your instance are displayed in the following areas of the Lightsail console: + The following example shows the public IPv4 addresses of an instance on the Lightsail home page. ![\[Instance IP addresses on the Lightsail home page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-home-page-ip-addresses.png) + The following example shows the public and private IPv4 addresses of an instance in the header area of the instance management page. ![\[Instance IP addresses in the header area of the instance management page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-header-ip-addresses.png) + The following example shows the public and private IPv4 addresses of an instance on the **Networking** tab of the instance management page. ![\[Instance IPv4 addresses in the Networking tab of the instance management page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-networking-tab-ip-addresses.png) Keep the following in mind when using the IPv4 addresses of your instances: + The public IP address of your instance might change. Give your instance an IP address that never changes by attaching a static IP to it. For more information, see the [Static IP addresses for instances](#static-ip-addresses-for-instances) section of this guide. + Lightsail uses IPv4 addresses by default. However, You can optionally enable IPv6 for some Lightsail resources that were created before January 12, 2021. Resources created on or after January 12, 2021, have IPv6 enabled by default. For more information, see the [IPv6 for instances, container services, CDN distributions, and load balancers](#ipv6-for-resources) section of this guide. + Add rules to your instance firewall to control the traffic that is allowed to connect to it. For more information, see [Instance firewalls](understanding-firewall-and-port-mappings-in-amazon-lightsail.md). ## Static IPv4 addresses for instances The default public IPv4 address that is assigned to your instance when you create it will change when you stop and start your instance. You can optionally create and attach a static IPv4 address to your instance. The static IPv4 address replaces the default public IPv4 address of your instance, and it stays the same when you stop and start your instance. You can attach one static IP to an instance. For more information, see [Create a static IP and attach it to an instance](lightsail-create-static-ip.md). After you create a static IP, and attach it to your instance, it is displayed in the following areas of the Lightsail console: + The following example shows the static IP address of an instance on the Lightsail home page. The thumbtack icon signifies that the public IP address is static. ![\[Instance static IP address in the Lightsail home page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-home-page-static-ip-address.png) + The following example shows the static IP address of an instance in the header area of the instance management page. The thumbtack icon signifies that the public IP address is static. ![\[Instance static IP address in the header area of the instance management page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-header-static-ip-address.png) + The following example shows the static IP address of an instance on the **Networking** tab of the instance management page. The default public IP address is no longer listed, and it has been replaced by the static IP address. The thumbtack icon signifies that the public IP address is static. ![\[Instance static IP address in the Networking tab of the instance management page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-networking-tab-static-ip-address.png) + You can view all of the static IPs that you've created by going to the Networking tab of the Lightsail home page as shown in the following example. ![\[All static IP addresses in the Networking tab of the Lightsail home page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-all-static-ip-addresses.png) ## IPv6 for instances, container services, CDN distributions, and load balancers IPv6 is enabled by default for Lightsail instances, container services, CDN distributions, and load balancers created on or after January 12, 2021. You can optionally enable IPv6 for those resources that were created before January 12, 2021. When you enable IPv6 for a specific resource, Lightsail automatically assigns an IPv6 address to that resource; you cannot choose or specify the IPv6 address yourself. For more information, see [Enable or disable IPv6](amazon-lightsail-enable-disable-ipv6.md). You can also create an IPv6-only instance. An IPv6-only instance can communicate publicly over IPv6 only and does not have a public IPv4 address. For more information, see [Configure IPv6-only networking for Lightsail instances](amazon-lightsail-ipv6-only-plans.md) Your instance's IPv6 address is displayed in the following areas of the Lightsail console: + The following example shows the IPv6 address of an instance on the Lightsail home page. ![\[Instance IPv6 address in the Lightsail home page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-home-page-ipv6-address.png) + The following example shows the IPv6 address of a resource in the header area of the resource's management page. ![\[Instance IPv6 address in the header area of the instance management page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-header-ipv6-address.png) + The following example shows the IPv6 address of a resource on the Networking tab of the resource management page. ![\[Instance IPv6 address in the Networking tab of the instance management page.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-networking-ipv6-address.png) Keep the following in mind when you enable and use IPv6 for your resources: + Your resources can communicate over IPv4 and IPv6 (in dual-stack mode) when you enable IPv6 for a resource, or over IPv4 only. + When you enable IPv6 for a resource, Lightsail automatically assigns an IPv6 address to that resource; you cannot choose or specify the IPv6 address yourself. When you enable IPv6 for a resource, it begins accepting network traffic over the IPv6 protocol. + The IPv6 address for an instance persists when you stop and start your instance. It's released only when you delete your instance, or disable IPv6 for your instance. You cannot get the IPv6 address back after you perform either of those actions. + All IPv6 addresses that are assigned to your instances are public and reachable over the internet. There are no private IPv6 addresses that are assigned to your instances. + IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for instances are independent of each other; you must configure instance firewall rules separately for IPv4 and IPv6. For more information, see [Instance firewalls](understanding-firewall-and-port-mappings-in-amazon-lightsail.md). + Not all instance blueprints available in Lightsail are automatically configured for IPv6 when IPv6 is enabled. Instances that use the following blueprints require additional configuration steps after you enable IPv6 for them: + **cPanel** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for cPanel instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-cpanel.md). + **GitLab** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for GitLab instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-gitlab.md). + **Nginx** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for Nginx instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-nginx.md). + **Plesk** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for Plesk instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-plesk.md). **Note** PrestaShop does not currently support IPv6 addresses. You can enable IPv6 for the instance, but the PrestaShop software will not respond to requests over the IPv6 network. # Static IP addresses in Lightsail A static IP is a fixed, public IP address that you can assign and reassign to an instance or other resource. If you haven't set up a static IP address, each time you stop or restart your instance, Lightsail assigns a new public IP address. There are no costs associated with static IP addresses when they are attached to a Lightsail instance. However, static IP addresses incur a charge when they aren't attached to an instance. For more information, see [What do Lightsail static IPv4 addresses cost?](amazon-lightsail-frequently-asked-questions-faq-billing-and-account-management.md#what-do-lightsail-static-ips-cost). **Important** If you stop or restart your instance without first creating a static IP address and attaching it to your instance, you lose your IP address when your instance restarts. You should create a static IP address and attach it to your instance to ensure that your instance always has the same public IP address. For more information, see [Create a static IP address](lightsail-create-static-ip.md). **Topics** + [Create a static IP address](lightsail-create-static-ip.md) + [Delete a static IP address](how-to-delete-static-ip.md) # Create and attach a static IP to your Lightsail instance The default dynamic public IP address attached to your Amazon Lightsail instance changes every time you stop and restart the instance. Create a static IP address and attach it to your instance to keep the public IP address from changing. Later, when you point a registered domain name to your instance, you don’t have to update your domain’s DNS records every time you stop and restart your instance. You can attach one static IP to an instance. For more information, see [Static IP addresses](understanding-static-ip-addresses-in-amazon-lightsail.md). ## Prerequisites You need at least one dual-stack instance running in Lightsail. To create one, see [Create an instance](getting-started-with-amazon-lightsail.md). ## Create and assign a Static IP address to an instance Follow these steps to create a new static IP address and attach it to an instance in Lightsail. 1. Sign in to the Lightsail console at [https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/](https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/). 1. In the left navigation pane, choose **Networking**. 1. Choose **Create static IP**. 1. Select the AWS Region where you want to create your static IP. **Note** Static IP addresses can only be attached to instances in the same Region. 1. Choose the Lightsail resource to which you want to attach the static IP. 1. Enter a name for your static IP. Resource names: + Must be unique within each AWS Region in your Lightsail account. + Must contain 2 to 255 characters. + Must start and end with an alphanumeric character or number. + Can include alphanumeric characters, numbers, periods, dashes, and underscores. 1. Choose **Create**. Now when you go to the home page, you see a static IP address that you can manage. ![\[Static IP address attached to an instance\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/amazon-lightsail-static-ip-attached-to-an-instance.png) Also, on the **Networking** tab of your instance's management page, you will see a blue pushpin next to your public IP address. This indicates that the IP address is now static. ![\[The Networking tab of the manage instance page\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/amazon-lightsail-static-ip-pushpin.png) For more information, see [Public and private IP addresses](understanding-public-ip-and-private-ip-addresses-in-amazon-lightsail.md). # Delete a static IP address in Lightsail You can create up to five static IPs per AWS Region in your Amazon Lightsail account. If you delete an instance that has a static IP address attached to it, the static IP address remains in your account. If you no longer need the static IP address, you can delete it using the Lightsail console or the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI). In this guide, we show you how to delete a static IP address from your Lightsail account. For more information about static IPs, see [IP addresses](understanding-public-ip-and-private-ip-addresses-in-amazon-lightsail.md). **Important** Deleting a static IP will completely remove the static IP from your Lightsail account. Resources that use that static IP, such as instances, will be impacted. You will not be able to get the static IP back after you delete it. ## Delete a static IP using the Lightsail console Complete the following procedure to delete a static IP using the Lightsail console. 1. Sign in to the [Lightsail console](https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/). 1. In the left navigation pane, choose **Networking**. 1. On the **Networking** page choose the vertical ellipsis (⋮) icon next to the static IP address that you want to delete, and then choose **Delete**. ![\[Delete a static IP in the Networking page\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/amazon-lightsail-delete-static-ip-from-manage-static-ip-menu.png) ## Delete a static IP using the AWS CLI Complete the following procedure to delete a static IP using the AWS CLI. The command to delete a static IP from your Lightsail account is [release-static-ip](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/lightsail/release-static-ip.html). When you create a static IP, you're actually *allocating* it. So, instead of deleting the static IP, you're actually *releasing* it. **Prerequisites** First, if you haven't already, you need to install the AWS CLI. To learn more, see [Installing the AWS Command Line Interface](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/userguide/installing.html). Be sure [you configure the AWS CLI](lightsail-how-to-set-up-and-configure-aws-cli.md). You will need the name of your static IP to release it. You can get that by using the `get-static-ips` AWS CLI command. 1. Type the following command: ``` aws lightsail get-static-ips ``` You should see output similar to the following. ``` { "staticIps": [ { "name": "Example-StaticIP", "resourceType": "StaticIp", "attachedTo": "MyInstance", "arn": "arn:aws:lightsail:us-east-2:123456789101:StaticIp/5282f35e-c720-4e5a-1234-12345EXAMPLE", "isAttached": true, "ipAddress": "192.0.2.0", "createdAt": 1489750629.026, "location": { "availabilityZone": "all", "regionName": "us-east-2" } }, { "name": "my-other-static-ip", "resourceType": "StaticIp", "arn": "arn:aws:lightsail:us-east-2:123456789101:StaticIp/f5885e14-8984-49e5-1234-12345EXAMPLE", "isAttached": false, "ipAddress": "192.0.2.2", "createdAt": 1483653597.815, "location": { "availabilityZone": "all", "regionName": "us-east-2" } } ] } ``` 1. Select the **name** value of the static IP you wish to release and make a note of it so you can use it in the next step. For example, you can copy the value to the clipboard. 1. Type the following command. ``` aws lightsail release-static-ip --static-ip-name StaticIpName ``` In the command, replace *StaticIpName* with the name of your static IP. If successful, you should see output similar to the following. ``` { "operations": [ { "status": "Succeeded", "resourceType": "StaticIp", "isTerminal": true, "statusChangedAt": 1489860944.19, "location": { "availabilityZone": "all", "regionName": "us-east-2" }, "operationType": "ReleaseStaticIp", "resourceName": "Example-StaticIP", "id": "92a2f0d2-eef2-4e6f-1234-12345EXAMPLE", "createdAt": 1489860944.19 } ] } ``` # Enable or disable dual-stack networking for Lightsail resources IPv6 is enabled by default for Lightsail dual-stack instances, container services, and load balancers created on or after January 12, 2021. You can optionally enable IPv6 for those resources that were created before January 12, 2021. In this guide, we show you how to enable or disable IPv6 networking for a dual-stack instance. For more information about IPv6, see [IP addresses](understanding-public-ip-and-private-ip-addresses-in-amazon-lightsail.md). ## Dual-stack considerations IPv6 became available in Lightsail on January 12, 2021; therefore, you might need to manually enable or disable IPv6 for some of your resources according to the following guidelines: + Instances and load balancers created *before* January 12 have IPv6 disabled until you enable it. However, instances and load balancers created *after* January 12 have IPv6 enabled when they are created. + Container services created *before* or *after* January 12 have IPv6 enabled. + IPv6 can be manually enabled or disabled for instances, and load balancers at any time. It cannot be disabled for container services. Keep the following in mind when you enable and use IPv6: + Your resources can communicate over IPv4 only, or over IPv4 and IPv6 (in dual-stack mode) when you enable IPv6 for a resource. + When you enable IPv6 for an instance, Lightsail automatically assigns an IPv6 address to that instance; you cannot choose or specify the IPv6 address yourself. When you enable IPv6 for a container service or load balancer, that resource will begin accepting internet traffic over IPv6. + The IPv6 address for an instance persists when you stop and start your instance. It's released only when you delete your instance, or disable IPv6 for your instance. You cannot get the IPv6 address back after you perform either of those actions. + All IPv6 addresses that are assigned to your instances are public and reachable over the internet. There are no private IPv6 addresses that are assigned to your instances. + IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for instances are independent of each other; you must configure instance firewall rules separately for IPv4 and IPv6. For more information, see [Instance firewalls](understanding-firewall-and-port-mappings-in-amazon-lightsail.md). + Not all instance blueprints available in Lightsail are automatically configured for IPv6 when IPv6 is enabled. Instances that use the following blueprints require additional configuration steps after you enable IPv6 for them: + **cPanel** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for cPanel instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-cpanel.md). + **GitLab** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for GitLab instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-gitlab.md). + **Nginx** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for Nginx instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-nginx.md). + **Plesk** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for Plesk instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-plesk.md). **Topics** + [Dual-stack considerations](#ipv6-considerations) + [Enable IPv6 networking for Lightsail resources](enable-ipv6.md) + [Disable IPv6 networking for Lightsail resources](disable-ipv6.md) # Enable IPv6 networking for Lightsail resources Complete the following procedure to enable IPv6 for instances, CDN distributions, and load balancers. 1. Sign in to the [Lightsail console](https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/). 1. Complete one of the following steps depending on the resource for which you want to enable IPv6: + To enable IPv6 for an instance, choose the **Instances** tab on the Lightsail home page, and then choose the name of the instance for which you want to enable IPv6. + To enable IPv6 for a CDN distribution or a load balancer, choose the **Networking** tab In the left navigation pane, and then choose the name of the CDN distribution or load balancer for which you want to enable IPv6. 1. Choose the **Networking** tab in the resource's management page. 1. In the **IPv6 Networking** section of the page, choose the toggle to enable IPv6 for the resource. ![\[Enable IPv6 in the Lightsail console.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-enable-ipv6.png) Be aware of the following items after you enable IPv6 for a resource: + If you enable IPv6 for a CDN distribution or load balancer, then that resource begins accepting IPv6 traffic. If you enable IPv6 for an instance, then an IPv6 address is assigned to it, and the IPv6 firewall becomes available, as shown in the following example. ![\[The instance IPv6 firewall in the Lightsail console.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-ipv6-firewall.png) + Instances that use the following blueprints require additional steps after enabling IPv6 to ensure the instance becomes aware of its new IPv6 address: + **cPanel** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for cPanel instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-cpanel.md). + **GitLab** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for GitLab instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-gitlab.md). + **Nginx** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for Nginx instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-nginx.md). + **Plesk** – For more information, see [Configure IPv6 for Plesk instances](amazon-lightsail-configure-ipv6-on-plesk.md). + If you have a registered domain name directing traffic to you instance, container service, CDN distribution, or load balancer, then make sure to create an IPv6 address record (AAAA) in the DNS of your domain to route IPv6 traffic to your resource. # Disable IPv6 networking for Lightsail resources Complete the following procedure to disable IPv6 for instances, CDN distributions, and load balancers. 1. Sign in to the [Lightsail console](https://lightsail.aws.amazon.com/). 1. Complete one of the following steps depending on the resource for which you want to disable IPv6: + To disable IPv6 for an instance, choose the **Instances** tab on the Lightsail home page, and then choose the name of the instance for which you want to disable IPv6. + To disable IPv6 for a CDN distribution or a load balancer, choose the **Networking** tab In the left navigation pane, and then choose the name of the CDN distribution or load balancer for which you want to disable IPv6. 1. Choose the **Networking** tab in the resource's management page. 1. In the **IPv6 Networking** section of the page, choose the toggle to disable IPv6 for the resource. ![\[Disable IPv6 in the Lightsail console.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/lightsail/latest/userguide/images/lightsail-disable-ipv6.png) # Configure IPv6-only networking for Lightsail instances Lightsail instances support two types of networking—*dual-stack networking* (IPv4 and IPv6) and *IPv6-only networking*. With dual-stack networking, your instance is assigned a public IPv4 and a public IPv6 address. For instances with dual-stack networking, you can enable or disable IPv6 as needed. With IPv6-only networking, your instance is assigned a public IPv6 address and doesn't support public IPv4 traffic. Not all Lightsail blueprints are compatible with IPv6. To learn which blueprints support IPv6-only, see [IPv6 compatible blueprints](ipv6-only-blueprints.md). Additionally, an instance with IPv6-only networking can't be configured as the origin resource for a Lightsail content delivery network (CDN) distribution. For more information about Lightsail distributions, see [Serve web content globally with Lightsail content delivery distributions](amazon-lightsail-content-delivery-network-distributions.md). Use IPv6-only networking if you don’t require a public IPv4 address. But first, make sure that your local network, computer, devices, and end-users can communicate using IPv6. For more information, see IPv6 reachability in [Verify IPv6 reachability for Lightsail instances](amazon-lightsail-ipv6-reachability.md). For existing instances with supported blueprints, you can change the networking type between dual-stack networking and IPv6-only networking. To review the considerations of IPv6-only networking and make changes to existing instances, see [Switch instance networking type to IPv6 or dual-stack in Lightsail](migrate-to-ipv6-only-plan.md). **Topics** + [Switch instance networking type to IPv6 or dual-stack in Lightsail](migrate-to-ipv6-only-plan.md) + [IPv6 compatible blueprints](ipv6-only-blueprints.md) # Switch instance networking type to IPv6 or dual-stack in Lightsail Your instance’s networking type determines which protocol it uses to communicate over the Internet. When you create an instance, you choose between **dual-stack** or **IPv6-only** networking. You can also change the networking type of an existing instance from dual-stack to IPv6-only, and the other way around. Change the networking type by using a guided, step-by-step workflow, or by completing the individual steps. With the guided workflow, your instance will continue to run while the new networking type is configured. Use this option for your instance to remain reachable over the internet while the change takes place. But first, make sure your local network, computer, devices, and end-users can communicate using IPv6. For more information, see [Verify IPv6 reachability for Lightsail instances](amazon-lightsail-ipv6-reachability.md). With the individual steps, you’ll snapshot your instance, then create a new instance from the snapshot. You can choose a different networking type as you're creating the new instance. Use this option to verify IPv6 compatibility before changing the configuration of your other instance. Before you begin, we recommend that you review the [IPv6-only considerations](#ipv6-only-considerations). ## IPv6-only considerations Review the following considerations: + Your instance plan changes whenever its networking type is changed. For more information, see [Announcing IPv6 instance bundles and pricing update on Amazon Lightsail](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/compute/announcing-ipv6-instance-bundles-and-pricing-update-on-amazon-lightsail) on the *AWS Compute Blog*. + Your instance will communicate publicly over IPv6. It will not support incoming or outgoing public IPv4 traffic. It will receive a private IPv4 address for communicating with other resources in your Lightsail account. For more information, see [View and manage IP addresses for Lightsail resources](understanding-public-ip-and-private-ip-addresses-in-amazon-lightsail.md). + IPv6-only instances can't be configured as the origin for a Lightsail content delivery network (CDN) distribution. + You can add IPv6-only instances to a Lightsail load balancer. + The allowance for your instance's data transfer plan will carry over when you change networking types. It will not reset. + Verify that your local devices, network, and Internet Service Provider (ISP) are IPv6-compatible. For more information, see [Verify IPv6 reachability for Lightsail instances](amazon-lightsail-ipv6-reachability.md). ## Option: Guided workflow **To configure your instance networking type using the wizard** 1. On the instance management page, on the information panel, choose **Change networking type**. 1. For **Select networking type**, select **Dual-stack** or **IPv6-only**. Review the information that is highlighted below the option that you chose, then choose **Next**. 1. For **Review resources**, review the changes that will be made to the resources currently associated with your instance. Resources can be a static IP address, or a Lightsail load balancer. No changes will be made if there are no resources attached to your instance. Resource changes will not take place until you complete the workflow in the next step. Choose **Next** to continue. 1. For **Confirm changes**, review the new instance networking type, pricing, and resource changes and choose **Confirm changes**. We start to configure your Lightsail resources. 1. (Optional) Update your instance configuration after the workflow is complete. For example, attach a static IP to your instance, or update DNS A records for IPv4, and AAAA records for IPv6. For next steps, see the [Next steps](#change-networking-next-steps) section of this guide. ## Option: Individual steps **To configure your instance networking type by completing the individual steps** 1. On the instance management page, on the **Snapshots** tab, choose **Create snapshot**. For more information, see one of the following topics: + [Back up Linux/Unix Lightsail instances with snapshots](lightsail-how-to-create-a-snapshot-of-your-instance.md) + [Create a snapshot of your Lightsail Windows Server instance](prepare-windows-based-instance-and-create-snapshot.md) 1. Give your snapshot a name, then choose **Create**. 1. From the snapshot actions menu (⋮), choose **Create a new instance**. For more information, see [Create Lightsail instances from snapshots](lightsail-how-to-create-instance-from-snapshot.md). 1. From the **Select networking type** section, choose **Dual-stack** or **IPv6-only**. 1. Review the remaining options and choose **Create instance**. Your new instance is created. 1. (Optional) Update your instance configuration after the workflow is complete. For example, attach a static IP to your instance, or update DNS A records for IPv4, and AAAA records for IPv6. For next steps, see the [Next steps](#change-networking-next-steps) section of this guide. ## Next steps There are a few additional tasks that you can perform after you change the networking type of your instance: + **(IPv6-only)** Ensure that your application and users are able to communicate over IPv6. For more information, see [Verify IPv6 reachability for Lightsail instances](amazon-lightsail-ipv6-reachability.md). + **(Dual-stack)** Attach a static IP address to your instance. For more information, see [Attach a static IP to an instance](lightsail-create-static-ip.md). + **(Dual-stack)** Configure your instance as the origin of a Lightsail distribution. For more information, see [CDN distributions in Lightsail](amazon-lightsail-content-delivery-network-distributions.md). + **(Both)** Add or update the firewall settings for your instance. For more information, see [Instance firewalls in Lightsail](understanding-firewall-and-port-mappings-in-amazon-lightsail.md). + **(Both)** Add or update DNS A records for IPv4, and AAAA records for IPv6. For more information, see [Point your domain to an instance](amazon-lightsail-routing-to-instance.md). + **(Both)** Add your instance to a Lightsail load balancer. For more information, see [Load balancers in Lightsail](understanding-lightsail-load-balancers.md). # IPv6 compatible blueprints The following Lightsail blueprints are compatible with an IPv6-only instance plan + [Windows Server 2022](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#WS2022) + [Windows Server 2019](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#WS2019) + [Windows Server 2016](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#WS2016) + [Amazon Linux 2023](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#AL2023) + [Amazon Linux 2](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#AL2) + [AlmaLinux OS 9](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#ALMA) + [CentOS Stream 9](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#Centos9) + [Debian 11, 12, and 13](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#Debian) + [FreeBSD 13, 14, and 15](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#FreeBSD) + [Ubuntu 20, 22, and 24](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#Ubuntu) + [SQL Server 2022 Express](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#SQL2022) + [SQL Server 2019 Express](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#SQL2019) + [SQL Server 2016 Express](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#SQL2016) + [LAMP stack (PHP 8) packaged by Bitnami](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#LAMP) + [MEAN stack packaged by Bitnami](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#MEAN) + [Redmine packaged by Bitnami](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md#Redmine) For more information about Lightsail blueprints, see [Review the Lightsail instance blueprint offerings](compare-options-choose-lightsail-instance-image.md).