# How to quickly create a Windows 10 computer on AWS

> Learn how to quickly create a Windows 10 machine in the cloud with AWS WorkSpaces and connect to it remotely from your Mac using the WorkSpaces client app.

Author: [Flavio Copes](https://flaviocopes.com/about/) | Published: 2022-05-12 | Topics: [Computer](https://flaviocopes.com/tags/computers/) | Canonical: https://flaviocopes.com/create-windows-cloud/

I recently had the need to "spin up" a Windows 10 computer and access it remotely without actually having to go buy and set up a PC.

The goal was to have a freshly installed Windows 10 machine, use it from my Mac, try running some commands to test installing [npm](https://flaviocopes.com/npm/) [Git](https://flaviocopes.com/git/) all that stuff so I could test the instructions in my course were running, and then destroy it after 1 hour.

I reviewed various options and saw AWS WorkSpaces.

They allow far more complicated workflows, but it also worked for my simple use case.

I assume you have an AWS account already.

Once you're in the AWS Console search for the WorkSpaces service in AWS:

![AWS WorkSpaces homepage showing Get Started Now button and setup steps](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.45.02.png)

Click **Get Started Now** and choose the **Quick Setup**:

![AWS WorkSpaces setup page with Quick Setup and Advanced Setup options](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.45.59.png)

Now pick a machine. I chose **Standard** with **Windows 10**:

![AWS WorkSpaces bundle selection showing various Windows configurations and user details form](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.47.30.png)

The protocol changes how you can connect to it. I picked **WSP** (Amazon's WorkSpaces Streaming Protocol).

Enter the user's details and press **Launch WorkSpaces**:

![AWS WorkSpaces user details form filled out with username, first name, last name and email](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.47.43.png)

![AWS WorkSpaces launch confirmation page showing workspace creation in progress](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.48.01.png)

Next you'll get an email with instructions on how to set the **user's password** and how to download the AWS WorkSpaces client.

![AWS WorkSpaces client download page with various platform options including macOS](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.56.26.png)

Install the app, then once you got the email (it can take 20 minutes) enter the registration code you got via email:

![AWS WorkSpaces desktop client registration screen asking for registration code](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_10.57.00.png)

and enter your user password:

![AWS WorkSpaces credentials form for setting up user password and account details](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_11.29.50.png)

And you're ready to go!

![Windows desktop showing Astro welcome page in a browser, demonstrating successful WorkSpaces connection](https://flaviocopes.com/images/create-windows-cloud/Screen_Shot_2022-05-10_at_12.05.16.png)