aws ec2 describe-instances — Basic UsageIT technician command center
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AWS CLI · Amazon Web Services

aws ec2 describe-instances — Basic Usage

Use aws ec2 describe-instances for a standard administrative task.

Copy-ready commandaws ec2 describe-instances — Basic Usage
aws ec2 describe-instances --output table

Requirements and permissions

Requirements
AWS CLI v2
Permissions
AWS IAM permissions vary
Last reviewed
2026-07-31

Examples

Basic Usage

Use aws ec2 describe-instances for a standard administrative task.

aws ec2 describe-instances --output table

Original command

List EC2 instances.

aws ec2 describe-instances --output table

Common errors

Command not found

Confirm AWS CLI v2 is installed and available in your current shell.