# ImportInstance


**Note**  
We recommend that you use the [https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/APIReference/API_ImportImage.html](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/APIReference/API_ImportImage.html) API instead. For more information, see [Importing a VM as an image using VM Import/Export](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vm-import/latest/userguide/vmimport-image-import.html) in the *VM Import/Export User Guide*.

Creates an import instance task using metadata from the specified disk image.

This API action supports only single-volume VMs. To import multi-volume VMs, use [ImportImage](API_ImportImage.md) instead.

For information about the import manifest referenced by this API action, see [VM Import Manifest](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/APIReference/manifest.html).

This API action is not supported by the AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI).

## Request Parameters


The following parameters are for this specific action. For more information about required and optional parameters that are common to all actions, see [Common Query Parameters](CommonParameters.md).

 **Description**   
A description for the instance being imported.  
Type: String  
Required: No

 **DiskImage.N**   
The disk image.  
Type: Array of [DiskImage](API_DiskImage.md) objects  
Required: No

 **DryRun**   
Checks whether you have the required permissions for the action, without actually making the request, and provides an error response. If you have the required permissions, the error response is `DryRunOperation`. Otherwise, it is `UnauthorizedOperation`.  
Type: Boolean  
Required: No

 **LaunchSpecification**   
The launch specification.  
Type: [ImportInstanceLaunchSpecification](API_ImportInstanceLaunchSpecification.md) object  
Required: No

 **Platform**   
The instance operating system.  
Type: String  
Valid Values: `Windows`   
Required: Yes

## Response Elements


The following elements are returned by the service.

 **conversionTask**   
Information about the conversion task.  
Type: [ConversionTask](API_ConversionTask.md) object

 **requestId**   
The ID of the request.  
Type: String

## Errors


For information about the errors that are common to all actions, see [Common client error codes](errors-overview.md#CommonErrors).

## Examples


### Example


This example creates an import instance task that migrates a Windows Server 2008 SP2 (32-bit) VM into the `us-east-1` Region.

#### Sample Request


```
https://ec2.amazonaws.com/?Action=ImportInstance
&LaunchSpecification.Architecture=x86_64
&LaunchSpecification.InstanceType=m1.xlarge
&DiskImage.1.Image.Format=VMDK
&DiskImage.1.Image.Bytes=1179593728
&DiskImage.1.Image.ImportManifestUrl=https://s3.amazonaws.com/amzn-s3-demo-bucket/​a3a5e1b6-590d-43cc-97c1-15c7325d3f41/​Win_2008_Server_Data_Center_SP2_32-bit.​vmdkmanifest.xml?AWSAccessKeyId=​AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE&​Expires=1294855591&​Signature=5snej01TlTtL0uR7KExtEXAMPLE%3D
&DiskImage.1.Volume.Size=12	
&Platform=Windows
&AUTHPARAMS
```

#### Sample Response


```
<ImportInstanceResponse xmlns="http://ec2.amazonaws.com/doc/2016-11-15/">
  <conversionTask>
    <conversionTaskId>import-i-ffvko9js</conversionTaskId>
    <expirationTime>2010-12-22T12:01Z</expirationTime>
    <importInstance>
       <volumes>
          <item>
             <bytesConverted>0</bytesConverted>
             <availabilityZone>us-east-1a</availabilityZone>
             <image>
                <format>VMDK</format>
                <size>1179593728</size>
                <importManifestUrl>
                 https://s3.amazonaws.com/amzn-s3-demo-bucket/​a3a5e1b6-590d-43cc-97c1-15c7325d3f41/​Win_2008_Server_Data_Center_SP2_32-bit.​vmdkmanifest.xml?AWSAccessKeyId=​AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE&​Expires=1294855591&​Signature=5snej01TlTtL0uR7KExtEXAMPLE%3D
                </importManifestUrl>
             </image>
             <description/>
             <volume>
                <size>12</size>
                <id>vol-1234567890abcdef0</id>
             </volume>
             <status>active</status>
             <statusMessage/>
          </item>
       </volumes>
       <instanceId>i-1234567890abcdef0</instanceId>
       <description/>
    </importInstance>
  </conversionTask>
</ImportInstanceResponse>
```

## See Also


For more information about using this API in one of the language-specific AWS SDKs, see the following:
+  [AWS Command Line Interface V2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/cli2/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for .NET V4](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/DotNetSDKV4/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for C\$1\$1](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForCpp/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for Go v2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForGoV2/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for Java V2](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForJavaV2/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for JavaScript V3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForJavaScriptV3/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for Kotlin](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForKotlin/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for PHP V3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForPHPV3/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for Python](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/boto3/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance) 
+  [AWS SDK for Ruby V3](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForRubyV3/ec2-2016-11-15/ImportInstance)