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aws ec2 describe-instances Help and Syntax

Open the AWS CLI reference and option details related to aws ec2 describe-instances.

Copy-ready commandaws ec2 describe-instances Help and Syntax
aws ec2 describe-instances help
Production warning

Help and syntax commands are generally read-only. The original command shown for context may change systems or data; review it before execution.

Requirements and permissions

Requirements
AWS CLI v2
Permissions
No elevated permissions are normally required to view help; local policy and shell access still apply.
Last reviewed
2026-07-31

Examples

Display the full reference

Uses the AWS CLI built-in documentation for the selected service operation.

aws ec2 describe-instances help

Original command context

The original aws ec2 describe-instances example is included for context. Review all parameters before using it in production.

aws ec2 describe-instances --output table

Common errors

AWS CLI cannot display the help page

Confirm AWS CLI v2 is installed and that groff or the configured pager is available.