![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*1lpn80SLAPxc3bZv.)

In this quick post, I will show you how to add a new user to an **EC2 instance** and **SSH** with your own **private key** rather than having to authenticate using the private key generated by **AWS**.

![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*qKomRenqOoYye9nV.)

Connect via **SSH** into your instance using its **public IP**:

![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*AhVigZMV_V26fgoo.)

Next, create a new user using the following command:

|sudo adduser labouardy

![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*Qqylsp7wJr5YZC9t.)

Next, we switch the shell session to the new account:

|sudo su labouardy

Create **.ssh** directory, and change the directory permission to **700** (only the file owner can read, write or open the directory):

|mkdir .ssh

|chmod 700 .ssh

Note: ensure you are in the new user’s home directory (example: **/home/labouardy**)

Create an empty file called **authorized\_keys** in the **.ssh** directory and change its permissions to **600** (only the file owner can read or writ eto the file)

|touch authorized\_keys

|chmod 600 authorized\_keys

![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*Jl9dmSSKYZUZKLQV.)

Finally, edit the _authorized\_keys_ file and past in your public key:

![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*YKCnyjtr9neqQXE_.)

Once you’ve done this, exist out back to your machine, then try to **SSH** using the the new credential and user account you’ve created:

![](https://hackernoon.com/hn-images/0*drHxmtDc3_V_olD4.)

We now are logged in as user **labouardy**

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Add new users to EC2 and give SSH Key access

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@mlabouardy

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