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Modify a WorkSpace in WorkSpaces Personal - Amazon WorkSpaces
Modify volume sizesModify compute typeModify protocols

Modify a WorkSpace in WorkSpaces Personal

After you launch a WorkSpace, you can modify its configuration in three ways:

  • You can change the size of its root volume (for Windows, drive C; for Linux, /) and its user volume (for Windows, drive D; for Linux /home).

  • You can change its compute type to select a new bundle.

  • You can modify the streaming protocol using the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI or Amazon WorkSpaces API if your WorkSpace was created with PCoIP bundles.

To see the current modification state of a WorkSpace, select the arrow to show more details about that WorkSpace. The possible values for State are Modifying Compute, Modifying Storage, and None.

If you want to modify a WorkSpace, it must have a status of AVAILABLE or STOPPED. You can't change the volume size and the compute type at the same time.

Changing the volume size or compute type of a WorkSpace will change the billing rate for the WorkSpace.

To allow your users to modify their volumes and compute types themselves, see Enable self-service WorkSpaces management capabilities for your users in WorkSpaces Personal.

Modify volume sizes

You can increase the size of the root and user volumes for a WorkSpace, up to 2000 GB each. WorkSpace root and user volumes come in set groups that can't be changed. The available groups are:

[Root (GB), User (GB)]
[80, 10]
[80, 50]
[80, 100]
[175 to 2000, 100 to 2000]

You can expand the root and user volumes whether they are encrypted or unencrypted, and you can expand both volumes once in a 6-hour period. However, you can't increase the size of the root and user volumes at the same time. For more information, see Limitations for Increasing Volumes.

Note

When you expand a volume for a WorkSpace, WorkSpaces automatically extends the volume's partition within Windows or Linux. When the process is finished, you must reboot the WorkSpace for the changes to take effect.

To ensure that your data is preserved, you cannot decrease the size of the root or user volumes after you launch a WorkSpace. Instead, make sure that you specify the minimum sizes for these volumes when launching a WorkSpace.

  • You can launch a Value, Standard, Performance, Power, or PowerPro WorkSpace with a minimum of 80 GB for the root volume and 10 GB for the user volume.

  • You can launch a GeneralPurpose.4xlarge or GeneralPurpose.8xlarge WorkSpace with a minimum of 175GB for the root volume and 100 GB for the user volume.

  • You can launch a Graphics.g6, Graphics.g4dn, GraphicsPro.g4dn, or GraphicsPro WorkSpace with a minimum of 100 GB for the root volume and 100 GB for the user volume. Volume sizing requirements vary based on larger graphics instance types.

While a WorkSpace disk size increase is in progress, users can perform most tasks on their WorkSpace. However, they can't change their WorkSpace compute type, switch the WorkSpace running mode, rebuild their WorkSpace, or reboot (restart) their WorkSpace.

Note

If you want your users to be able to use their WorkSpaces while the disk size increase is in progress, make sure the WorkSpaces have a status of AVAILABLE instead of STOPPED before you resize the volumes of the WorkSpaces. If the WorkSpaces are STOPPED, they can't be started while the disk size increase is in progress.

In most cases, the disk size increase process might take up to two hours. However, if you're modifying the volume sizes for a large number of WorkSpaces, the process can take significantly longer. If you have a large number of WorkSpaces to modify, we recommend contacting AWS Support for assistance.

Limitations for increasing volumes

  • You can resize only SSD volumes.

  • When you launch a WorkSpace, you must wait 6 hours before you can modify the sizes of its volumes.

  • You cannot increase the size of the root and user volumes at the same time. To increase the root volume, you must first change the user volume to 100 GB. After that change is made, you can then update the root volume to any value between 175 and 2000 GB. After the root volume has been changed to any value between 175 and 2000 GB, you can then update the user volume further, to any value between 100 and 2000 GB.

    Note

    If you want to increase both volumes, you must wait 20-30 minutes for the first operation to finish before you can start the second operation.

  • Non-GPU-enabled WorkSpaces’ root volume cannot be less than 175 GB when the user volume is 100 GB. Storage requirements for GPU-enabled WorkSpaces scale proportionally with instance sizing. As you select larger GPU-enabled WorkSpaces configurations, you must allocate correspondingly larger storage volumes to maintain optimal performance and accommodate increased workload demands. For the smallest instance size, begin with the following storage allocation: Root: 100 GB, User: 100 GB. GPU-enabled WorkSpaces support a minimum of 100 GB for the root volume and 100 GB for the user volume.

  • If the user volume is 50 GB, you cannot update the root volume to anything other than 80 GB. If the root volume is 80 GB, the user volume can only be 10, 50, or 100 GB.

To modify the root volume of a WorkSpace

  1. Open the WorkSpaces console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home.

  2. In the navigation pane, choose WorkSpaces.

  3. Select the WorkSpace and choose Actions, Modify root volume..

  4. Under Root volume sizes, choose a volume size or choose Custom to enter a custom volume size.

  5. Choose Save changes.

  6. When the disk size increase is finished, you must reboot the WorkSpace for the changes to take effect. To avoid data loss, make sure the user saves any open files before you reboot the WorkSpace.

To modify the user volume of a WorkSpace

  1. Open the WorkSpaces console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home.

  2. In the navigation pane, choose WorkSpaces.

  3. Select the WorkSpace and choose Actions, Modify user volume..

  4. Under User volume sizes, choose a volume size or choose Custom to enter a custom volume size.

  5. Choose Save changes.

  6. When the disk size increase is finished, you must reboot the WorkSpace for the changes to take effect. To avoid data loss, make sure the user saves any open files before you reboot the WorkSpace.

To change the volume sizes of a WorkSpace

Use the modify-workspace-properties command with the RootVolumeSizeGib or UserVolumeSizeGib property.

Modify compute type

You can switch a WorkSpace between the Standard, Power, Performance, PowerPro GeneralPurpose.4xlarge, and GeneralPurpose.8xlarge compute types. For more information about these compute types, see Amazon WorkSpaces Bundles.

Note

  • If your source operating system is anything other than Windows Server 2022 or Windows 11, you cannot change your compute type from PowerPro to GeneralPurpose.

  • If you are modifying the compute type from a non-GPU-enabled bundles to GeneralPurpose.4xlarge or GeneralPurpose.8xlarge, your WorkSpaces must meet the minimum root volume size of 175 GB and user volume size of 100 GB. To increase the volume size of your WorkSpaces, see Modify volume sizes.

  • GPU-enabled WorkSpaces support compute type modifications within the same instance family but do not support cross-family modifications. For example, you can modify the compute type between G4dn instances or between G6 instances, but you cannot change from a G4dn instance to a G6 instance family. To move between GPU-enabled WorkSpace bundles powered by different instance families, use Migrate a WorkSpace feature. For more information, see Migrate a WorkSpace in WorkSpaces Personal

  • GraphicsPro bundle reaches end-of-life on October 31, 2025. We recommend migrating your GraphicsPro WorkSpaces to supported bundles before October 31, 2025. For more information, see Migrate a WorkSpace in WorkSpaces Personal.

  • You cannot change the compute type of Graphics and GraphicsPro to any other value.

When you request a compute change, WorkSpaces reboots the WorkSpace using the new compute type. WorkSpaces preserves the operating system, applications, data, and storage settings for the WorkSpace.

You can request a larger compute type once in a 6-hour period or a smaller compute type once every 30 days. For a newly launched WorkSpace, you must wait 6 hours before requesting a larger compute type.

When a WorkSpace compute type change is in progress, users are disconnected from their WorkSpace, and they can't use or change the WorkSpace. The WorkSpace is automatically rebooted during the compute type change process.

Important

To avoid data loss, make sure users save any open documents and other application files before you change the WorkSpace compute type.

The compute type change process might take up to an hour.

To change the compute type of a WorkSpace

  1. Open the WorkSpaces console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/workspaces/v2/home.

  2. In the navigation pane, choose WorkSpaces.

  3. Select the WorkSpace and choose Actions, Modify compute type.

  4. Under Compute type, choose a compute type.

  5. Choose Save changes.

To change the compute type of a WorkSpace

Use the modify-workspace-properties command with the ComputeTypeName property.

Modify protocols

If your WorkSpace is created with PCoIP bundles, you can modify their streaming protocol using the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or Amazon WorkSpaces API. This allows you to migrate the protocol using your existing WorkSpace without using the WorkSpace migration feature. This also allows you to use DCV and maintain your root volume without re-creating existing PCoIP WorkSpaces during the migration process.

  • You can only modify your protocol if your WorkSpace was created with PCoIP bundles.

  • Before you modify the protocol to DCV, ensure that your WorkSpace meets the following requirements for a DCV WorkSpace.

    • Your WorkSpaces client supports DCV

    • The region where your WorkSpace is deployed supports DCV

    • The IP address and port requirements for DCV are open. For more information, see IP address and port requirements for WorkSpaces.

    • Ensure your current bundle is available with DCV.

Note

  • We highly recommend testing with your non-production WorkSpaces before you start changing the protocol.

  • If you modify the protocol from PCoIP to DCV, and then modify the protocol back to PCoIP, you won't be able to connect to WorkSpaces through Web Access.

To change the protocol of a WorkSpace using the console

The console provides a guided experience to change the protocol of a WorkSpace from PCoIP to DCV.

  1. Open the WorkSpaces console.

  2. Select the WorkSpace (ensure that it's in the AVAILABLE state and its current Protocol is PCOIP).

  3. Choose Actions and then Modify Protocol.

  4. Confirm to proceed with the modification.

  5. It can take up to 40 minutes for the modification to complete. During the modification, the WorkSpace Status will show as Modifying Protocol.

  6. To confirm completion, verify in the console that the WorkSpace Status is AVAILABLE and the current Protocol property has been changed to DCV(WSP).

Note

  • During protocol modification, session provisioning is blocked. End users who attempt to connect will receive an error message indicating the WorkSpace is being modified.

  • In case of a protocol modification failure, the WorkSpace Status will show as Modify Protocol Failed. You can view all the WorkSpaces that failed during protocol modification by either selecting the View failed WorkSpaces button in the console banner or by using the filters with combination of PROTOCOL and UPDATE_FAILED.

  • Before protocol modification begins, a checkpoint snapshot of the WorkSpace is automatically taken. In case of a protocol modification failure, you can restore the WorkSpace to this pre-modification state to ensure no data is lost. To restore, use the Restore WorkSpace action.

  • After the WorkSpace has been restored to the checkpoint snapshot, try the Modify Protocol action again. If the failure persists, contact AWS Support.

  • After successful protocol modification, another WorkSpace snapshot is taken ensuring that the Restore WorkSpace action restores to the updated protocol.

To change the protocol of a WorkSpace using the CLI

  1. [Optional] Reboot your WorkSpace and wait until it’s in the AVAILABLE state before modifying the protocol.

  2. [Optional] Use the describe-workspaces command to list the WorkSpace properties. Ensure that it’s in the AVAILABLE state and its current Protocol is accurate.

  3. Use the modify-workspace-properties command and modify the Protocols property from PCOIP to DCV, or the other way around.

    aws workspaces modify-workspace-properties
--workspace-id <value>
--workspace-properties "Protocols=[WSP]"
    Important

    The Protocols property is case-sensitive. Ensure that you use PCOIP or WSP. The input parameter for DCV (WSP) is WSP.

  4. After you run the command, it can take up to 40 minutes for the WorkSpace to complete the protocol modification workflow.

  5. Use the describe-workspaces command again to list the WorkSpace properties and verify that it’s in an AVAILABLE state and the current Protocols property has been changed to the correct protocol.

    Note

    • Modifying the WorkSpace's protocol will not update the bundle description in the console. The Launch Bundle description will not change.

    • During protocol modification, session provisioning is blocked. End users who attempt to connect will receive an error message indicating the WorkSpace is being modified.

    • Protocol modification has failed if the WorkSpace is in an UNHEALTHY State with RESOURCE: PROTOCOL and STATE: UPDATE_FAILED.

    • Before protocol modification begins, a checkpoint snapshot of the WorkSpace is automatically taken. In case of a protocol modification failure, you can restore the WorkSpace to this pre-modification state to ensure no data is lost. To restore, use the restore-workspace command. See Restore WorkSpaces documentation for details.

    • After the WorkSpace has been restored to the checkpoint snapshot, try the modify-workspace-properties command again. If the failure persists, contact AWS Support.

    • After successful protocol modification, another WorkSpace snapshot is taken ensuring that the Restore WorkSpace action restores to the updated protocol.