Demo Create AMI from AWS Console

Learn how to create a reusable Amazon Machine Image (AMI) from an existing EC2 instance. An AMI captures a point-in-time snapshot of an instance—including its attached EBS volumes—for future launches or backups.

Step 1: Select Your EC2 Instance

Open the EC2 console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/ec2.
In the Instances pane, choose the target instance.
Click Actions → Image and templates → Create image.

The image shows an AWS EC2 management console with a running instance named "demo," displaying details like instance ID, type, and IP addresses.

Step 2: Configure AMI Settings

On the Create Image dialog:

Image name: Enter a unique, descriptive name (e.g., prod-webserver-ami-2024-05-01).
No reboot: Check this to avoid instance reboot during image creation.
Volumes: Confirm which EBS volumes to include. Exclude transient volumes (e.g., log volumes) if you don’t need them.

Note

Skipping the reboot option may lead to file system inconsistencies. Use it only when uptime is critical.

The image shows an AWS EC2 console screen for creating an image, with options for instance volumes, storage type, and tagging.

Step 3: Tag Your AMI

Adding tags simplifies automation and cleanup. Include at least these:

Tag Key	Example Value	Purpose
`Name`	`Demo`	Human-readable identifier
`InstanceName`	`demo-web-01`	Link back to original EC2 instance

Once tags are set, click Create image. AWS will snapshot each volume, then register the new AMI.

Step 4: Monitor Snapshot Creation

In the left menu, select Snapshots.
Locate the snapshot(s) with Status: pending.

The image shows an AWS EC2 console displaying a list of snapshots, with one snapshot having a status of "Pending." The interface includes options for managing snapshots and other AWS services.

Step 5: Monitor AMI Registration

Go to Images → AMIs in the EC2 console.
Find your AMI (Status: pending).

After a few minutes, both the snapshot and AMI statuses will switch to available.

The image shows an Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 console displaying details of an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) with ID ami-00c089143fc0b12f1, including its status, platform details, and creation date.

Step 6: View Snapshot Details

Once complete, click on the snapshot ID to review its metadata, size, and status.

The image shows an AWS EC2 console displaying details of a snapshot, including its ID, volume size, and status. The snapshot is completed and available, with additional metadata shown below.

Step 7: Launch a New Instance from Your AMI

In the AMIs list, select your custom AMI.
Click Launch instance.
Under Application and OS Images (Amazon Machine Image), switch to My AMIs and pick yours.
Continue with the standard launch workflow (instance type, networking, storage, etc.).

The image shows an AWS EC2 console interface for launching an instance, displaying details about an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) and instance configuration options.

Step 8: Deregister (Delete) the AMI

To remove an AMI:

Go to Images → AMIs, select the AMI.
Choose Actions → Deregister AMI.
Confirm the deregistration.

Warning

Deregistering an AMI does not delete its associated snapshots. Manually delete any orphaned snapshots to prevent unexpected storage charges.

The image shows an AWS EC2 console with a pop-up window for deregistering an AMI. It includes a warning about snapshots not being automatically deleted when deregistering the AMI.

Cleanup Recommendations

Implement consistent tagging conventions for automated cleanup via AWS CLI scripts.
Schedule periodic audits to deregister unused AMIs and delete leftover snapshots.