# AWS credentials

As of now, Cortex only runs locally or on AWS. We plan to support other cloud providers in the future. If you don't have an AWS account you can get started with one [here](https://portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup#/start).

Follow this [tutorial](https://aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/create-access-key) to create an access key. Enable programmatic access for the IAM user, and attach the built-in `AdministratorAccess` policy to your IAM user. If you'd like to use less privileged credentials once the Cortex cluster has been created, see [security](../miscellaneous/security.md).
