Setup guide

Let's set up your cloud.

IceBox stores your archives in your own Amazon account — so you'll set that up once, here. No AWS experience needed; we'll go slowly and show every screen.

About 15 minutes You only do this once No experience needed
1

Create an AWS account

A free Amazon Web Services account — the cloud your files will live in. This is the longest step.

2

Run the IceBox setup

Click one link. AWS builds your private storage and a key for IceBox automatically — no typing.

3

Connect IceBox

Copy the key it gives you, paste it into IceBox, and you're archiving.

It's your account, not ours

Your files live in storage you own and control. If you ever stop using IceBox, your archives stay right where they are — readable by any standard AWS tool.

We never see your files

IceBox talks directly between your Mac and your Amazon storage. The key you'll create only lets IceBox into one private bucket — nothing else in your account.

It costs pennies

Amazon bills you directly at cost — roughly $1 per terabyte a month. A credit card is required to open the account, but cold storage is famously cheap.

1

Create your AWS account

~10 minutes · the longest step, then it's smooth sailing

AWS (Amazon Web Services) is the cloud where your archives will live. The signup looks a little technical, but it's just an account — we'll walk through every screen.

1a

Go to the AWS sign-up page

Open aws.amazon.com and click Create an AWS Account (top-right). Enter your email and a name for the account — your own name is fine.

https://aws.amazon.com
Screenshot: the AWS sign-up page — email field + “Verify email address” button.
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1b

Verify your email and set a password

AWS emails you a 6-digit code. Enter it, then create a strong root password. This is the master login for your whole AWS account — save it in your password manager.

Keep this password safe. It's the “root” login. You'll rarely need it after setup, but losing it is a hassle to recover.
1c

Enter your contact info

Choose Personal account type, then fill in your name, address, and phone number. (Personal and Business work identically for IceBox — Personal is just simpler.)

portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup
Screenshot: contact-information form with the “Personal” account type selected.
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1d

Add a credit or debit card

AWS requires a card to open any account — it's how they bill for storage. You won't be charged to sign up, and IceBox's cold storage runs about a dollar per terabyte each month.

This is normal and safe. Every AWS account needs a card on file. You may see a temporary ~$1 authorization to verify it — it disappears within a few days. Your real bill is just storage, at cost.
portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup
Screenshot: the billing / payment-information screen (blur your card number).
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1e

Verify your phone, then choose the free support plan

AWS texts or calls you a code to confirm your number. On the last screen, you'll be asked to pick a Support plan — choose Basic support — Free. The paid plans are for large businesses; you don't need them.

Don't accidentally pick a paid plan. The default highlighted option is sometimes a paid tier. Make sure “Basic support — Free” is the one selected before continuing.
portal.aws.amazon.com/billing/signup
Screenshot: the support-plan chooser with “Basic support — Free” selected.
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That's the hard part done. You now have an AWS account. Click Go to the AWS Management Console and keep that browser tab open — you'll need it for Step 2.
2

Run the IceBox setup

~3 minutes · mostly waiting

Instead of clicking around the AWS console, you'll use a ready-made IceBox template. One link sets up your private storage and a scoped key automatically — no settings to configure.

2a

Make sure you're signed in, then launch the template

With your AWS tab still open, click the button below. It opens AWS's “Create stack” screen with everything pre-filled from the IceBox template.

Launch the IceBox setup template

Opens AWS CloudFormation in a new tab, pre-loaded and ready.

Launch IceBox Setup
Pick a region close to you. Near the top-right you'll see a region (like “N. Virginia”). Choosing one near you makes restores a little faster — but any region works, and you can't pick wrong.
2b

Check the box and create the stack

Scroll to the bottom. Tick the acknowledgement box (it's AWS confirming the template may create a security key on your behalf — that's expected), then click Create stack.

console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation
Screenshot: the “Create stack” review screen with the acknowledge checkbox ticked.
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2c

Wait for “CREATE_COMPLETE”

AWS now builds everything — it takes a minute or two. When the status turns green and reads CREATE_COMPLETE, you're ready for the last step.

console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation
Screenshot: the stack list/detail showing a green CREATE_COMPLETE status.
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A private storage bucket

Where your archives live — locked down so only you (and IceBox) can reach it.

A scoped access key

Lets IceBox into that one bucket and nothing else in your account.

3

Connect IceBox

~2 minutes · copy & paste

The template generated a key for IceBox. You'll copy it from AWS and paste it into IceBox — the last step before you start archiving.

3a

Open the Outputs tab

On your finished stack, click the Outputs tab. You'll see a short list of values IceBox needs — typically an AccessKeyId, a SecretAccessKey, and your bucket name.

console.aws.amazon.com/cloudformation
Screenshot: the stack’s Outputs tab listing the key values (blur the secret).
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Treat the secret key like a password. Anyone with it can reach your bucket. Paste it straight into IceBox and don't share it — IceBox stores it securely in your Mac's Keychain.
3b

Paste it into IceBox

Back in IceBox, on the Connect your storage screen, paste each value into its field and click Connect. IceBox checks the connection and confirms it can reach your bucket.

IceBox · Connect your storage
Screenshot: IceBox’s “Connect your storage” screen with the key fields.
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You're all set. ❄️

Your cloud is ready. Point IceBox at any folder and archive it — your files are safe, browsable, and yours.

If something looks off

The most common snags people hit — and how to clear them.

My card was declined or flagged
AWS places a small temporary authorization (around $1) to verify the card — some banks flag this as unusual. If it's declined, try a different card, or call your bank and approve the AWS charge. The authorization is refunded automatically.
I don't see “Create an AWS Account” / I'm asked to sign in
You may already be signed into an old AWS or Amazon account. Sign out first, or open aws.amazon.com in a private/incognito window, then click Create an AWS Account.
The stack says ROLLBACK or CREATE_FAILED
Usually this means a leftover bucket from a previous attempt, or a brand-new account still finishing activation. Delete the failed stack, wait a few minutes, and click Launch IceBox Setup again. If it persists, your account may still be activating — AWS can take up to a few hours to fully enable a new account.
The Outputs tab is empty
Outputs only appear once the status is CREATE_COMPLETE. If it's still CREATE_IN_PROGRESS, give it another minute and refresh. Make sure you're looking at the IceBox stack, not a different one.
IceBox says it can't connect
Double-check you copied the full key with no extra spaces, and that the values went into the matching fields. A common slip is pasting the AccessKeyId into the secret field. Re-copy from the Outputs tab and try again.
Will this cost a lot?
No. IceBox uses Glacier Deep Archive, AWS's cheapest cold storage — about $1 per terabyte per month. The setup itself is free. The only thing to know: restoring archives later takes 12–48 hours and has a small retrieval fee, so it's built for things you rarely need back in a hurry.

Still stuck?

We're happy to help you through it — setup is a one-time thing and we want it to go smoothly.

Email setup support Back to IceBox