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When you sign up for an AWS account, a special user called the root user is created automatically. This user has full access to everything in your account. This means they can manage all your AWS services and resources without any restrictions. Often, people call this the “AWS Root User” or the “account owner.”
To get started, you log in to this user using the email address and password you used when creating your account. Because it has access to everything, it’s very powerful. However, AWS recommends that you do not use this root user for everyday tasks or regular management activities. Instead, it’s safer to create other users or roles with the necessary permissions for daily work.
For example, you can create IAM users or setup roles that allow specific access levels. These options are safer because you can control what each person or application can do. Keep the root user for only a few critical tasks, like setting up initial security or recovery options.
People often find the terminology confusing because AWS sometimes refers to this user as “AWS Root User” and other times as “IAM Root User,” but they mean the same thing — the original user with full privileges created when you open your account. This user is outside the usual IAM identity system but remains very important in managing your AWS environment.
Remember, keeping your root user secure and limiting its use helps protect your account from accidental or malicious changes. Use it only when really necessary, and create specific IAM users or roles for everyday activities. That way, your account stays safer, and you have more control over who can do what.
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