---
title: "How to add AWS as backup provider"
url: "https://ploi.io/documentation/database/how-to-add-aws-as-backup-provider"
published: "2021-02-24"
last_updated: "2026-06-15"
---

# How to add AWS as backup provider

To use AWS S3 as a backup destination in Ploi you need an IAM user with an access key/secret pair that can write to your backup bucket. This guide walks through the current AWS console flow.

1. Create the IAM user
----------------------

Sign in to the [AWS IAM console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iam/), open **Users** in the sidebar and click **Create user**. Give the user a name (for example `ploi-backups`) and continue. AWS no longer asks you to choose "Programmatic access" at this step — you create an access key separately once the user exists.

2. Attach a permissions policy
------------------------------

On the permissions step, choose **Attach policies directly**. For the quickest setup you can attach the built-in **AmazonS3FullAccess** policy, but we recommend a least-privilege policy scoped to just your backup bucket. Choose **Create policy**, switch to the JSON editor and paste the following, replacing `your-bucket-name` with your bucket name:

```
{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": ["s3:ListBucket", "s3:GetBucketLocation"],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name"
        },
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": ["s3:PutObject", "s3:GetObject", "s3:DeleteObject"],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/*"
        }
    ]
}
```

Give the policy a name, create it, then attach it to your new user.

3. Create an access key
-----------------------

Open the user you just created, go to the **Security credentials** tab and click **Create access key**. Choose **Third-party service** (or "Application running outside AWS") as the use case, confirm, and create the key.

You'll be shown an **Access key ID** and a **Secret access key**. Copy both now — the secret is only shown once.

4. Add the credentials to Ploi
------------------------------

In Ploi, add AWS as a backup provider and enter the access key, secret key, your bucket name and its region. Your database and file backups can now be stored in S3.