ECS Exec is now available in the AWS Management Console

The Amazon ECS console now supports ECS Exec, enabling you to open secure, interactive shell access directly from the AWS Management Console to any running container.

ECS customers often need to access running containers to debug applications and examine running processes. ECS Exec provides easy and secure access to running containers without requiring inbound ports or SSH key management. Previously, ECS Exec was only accessible through the AWS API, CLI, or SDKs, requiring customers to switch interfaces when troubleshooting in the console. With this new feature, customers can now connect to running containers directly from the AWS Management Console, streamlining troubleshooting workflows.

To get started, you can turn on ECS Exec directly in the console when creating or updating services and standalone tasks. Additional settings like encryption and logging can also be configured at the cluster level through the console. Once enabled, simply navigate to a task details page, select a container, and click "Connect" to open an interactive session through CloudShell. The console also displays the underlying AWS CLI command, which you can customize or copy to use in your local terminal.

ECS Exec console support is now available in all AWS commercial regions. To learn more, visit the ECS developer guide.