# Getting started with IAM Identity Center
<a name="getting-started"></a>

The following outlines how you can get started with IAM Identity Center.

1. **Enable IAM Identity Center**

   When you [enable IAM Identity Center](enable-identity-center.md), you choose between two types of IAM Identity Center instances. These types are: [*organization instances*](organization-instances-identity-center.md) (recommended) and [*account instances*](account-instances-identity-center.md). To learn more about the different capabilities of these instance types, see [organization and account instances of IAM Identity Center](identity-center-instances.md).
**Note**  
After IAM Identity Center is enabled, you can sign in and open the [IAM Identity Center console ](https://console.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/) by doing either of the following:   
**Organization instance** - Sign in to AWS using credentials with administrative permissions in the management account.
**Account instance** - Sign in to AWS using credentials with administrative permissions in the AWS account where IAM Identity Center is enabled.

1. **Connect your identity source to IAM Identity Center**

   In IAM Identity Center console, confirm the identity source that you want to use. See the following for identity sources:
   + **External identity provider** - If you have an existing identity provider to manage your workforce users, you can connect it to IAM Identity Center. For more information about how to configure commonly used identity providers to work with IAM Identity Center, see [IAM Identity Center identity source tutorials](tutorials.md).
   + **Active Directory** - If you are using Active Directory to manage your workforce users, you can connect it to IAM Identity Center. For more information, see [Using Active Directory as an identity source](gs-ad.md).
   + **IAM Identity Center** - Alternatively, you can [create and manage users and groups directly in IAM Identity Center](quick-start-default-idc.md).
**Note**  
Presently, you must use an external identity provider as the identity source to take advantage of a multi-Region setup with your IAM Identity Center. For more information about the benefits of this setup, see [Using IAM Identity Center across multiple AWS Regions](multi-region-iam-identity-center.md).

1. **Set up user access to AWS accounts (organization instance only)**

   If you’re using an organization instance of IAM Identity Center, you can [assign user or group access to AWS accounts](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/assignusers.html), using [permission sets](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/permissionsetsconcept.html) to grant your users access to AWS accounts and resources.

1. **Set up user access to applications**

   With IAM Identity Center, you can grant users access to two types of applications:

   1. **[AWS managed applications](awsapps.md)**
      + You can use IAM Identity Center with AWS managed applications like Amazon Q Business, AWS CLI, and Amazon Redshift. For more information, see [AWS managed applications](awsapps.md) and [Integrating AWS CLI with IAM Identity Center](integrating-aws-cli.md).

   1. **[Customer managed applications](customermanagedapps.md)**
      + You can integrate either of the following types of customer managed applications with IAM Identity Center:
        + [Applications listed in IAM Identity Center catalog](saasapps.md)
        + [Your custom applications](customermanagedapps-set-up-your-own-app-saml2.md)
      +  After configuring your application, you can [assign your users access to the application](assignuserstoapp.md).

1. **Provide your users with sign-in instructions for the AWS access portal**

   The AWS access portal is a web portal that provides your users with seamless access to all their assigned applications, AWS accounts, or both. New users in IAM Identity Center must activate their user credentials before they can sign in to the AWS access portal. 

   For information about how to sign in to the AWS access portal, see [Sign in to the AWS access portal](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//signin/latest/userguide/iam-id-center-sign-in-tutorial.html) in the *AWS Sign-In User Guide*. To learn about the sign-in process for the AWS access portal, see [Signing in to the AWS access portal](https://docs.aws.amazon.com//singlesignon/latest/userguide/howtosignin.html).