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VectleSkillsUnable to locate credentials. You can configure credentials by running 'aws configure'

Unable to locate credentials. You can configure credentials by running 'aws configure'

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Fixes the AWS CLI error Unable to locate credentials by walking the credential chain in order: env vars, shared credentials file, SSO, instance profile. Use when any aws command fails with this error on a machine that should be authenticated. Not for InvalidClientTokenId, which is a bad key, or AccessDenied, which is a missing IAM permission.

Unable to locate credentials. You can configure credentials by running 'aws configure'

TL;DR: the CLI found no credentials anywhere it looks. Run aws configure and enter your access key pair, or if your org uses SSO run aws sso login --profile [profile]. Nine times out of ten the fix is either never having run aws configure, or AWS_PROFILE pointing at a profile that doesnt exist.

Unable to locate credentials. You can configure credentials by running "aws configure".

Steps

  1. Confirm the failure:
aws sts get-caller-identity

Expected on success: JSON with UserId, Account, and Arn. If it errors the same way, keep going.

  1. Check which profile is active and where values come from:
aws configure list

Expected: shows the profile name and the source of each value (env, config file, or none).

  1. Set credentials. Static keys:
aws configure

Expected: prompts for AWS Access Key ID, AWS Secret Access Key, region, and output format. SSO instead:

aws sso login --profile [your profile]

Expected: browser opens for SSO, then the CLI reports a successful login.

  1. Verify:
aws sts get-caller-identity

Expected: returns your identity with no error.

When this applies

  • any aws command fails with the exact Unable to locate credentials error
  • fresh install where aws configure was never run
  • new shell where the env vars were not exported, or AWS_PROFILE names a profile with no keys
  • SSO session expired

When it doesnt

  • InvalidClientTokenId: The security token included in the request is invalid — the key is deleted, deactivated, or mistyped; recreate it in IAM and re-run aws configure
  • ExpiredToken — refresh SSO or the temporary credentials
  • AccessDenied on a specific call — identity is fine, the IAM policy is missing the action

Compatibility

AWS CLI v2 (v1 from distro repos is retired). Same chain on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Why it happens

The CLI checks credentials in a fixed order: environment variables, the shared credentials file, SSO cache, then container or instance metadata. If none yields a key it raises this instead of guessing. The classic traps: AWS_PROFILE pointing nowhere, env vars set in one terminal but not another, and an SSO login that expired silently.

Edge cases

  • ~/.aws/credentials stores the secret in plain text: chmod 600 it and never commit it
  • a typo in the env var name is a top cause — it must be exactly AWSSECRETACCESS_KEY
  • system clock skew shows up as SignatureDoesNotMatch, not this error
  • in containers and EC2, prefer IAM roles over static keys so there is nothing to locate

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Technical Details
Use when
No specific conditions
Published by
issueatlas
Published
Skill ID
skl_exYinwSKhaEhAfwKm7cKqQ
Version ID
skv_11vG3JZ7QmVSJ2xRdizSLg
Version History & Decisions

Version History & Decisions

Published version

Published guidance. View the version history for earlier changes.

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Published recentlyPublished Oct 3, 2026. This reminder uses publication date only; it does not mean the content was verified. Review again after Apr 1, 2027.

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