Amazon EKS now supports one-click cluster access through CloudShell

Posted on: Apr 30, 2026

Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) now provides one-click cluster access directly from the AWS Management Console through AWS CloudShell, eliminating the need to install and configure kubectl, AWS CLI, or kubeconfig files locally. This feature helps developers and operators who want immediate cluster access without tooling setup or complex environment configuration.

With one-click cluster access, you can navigate to any EKS cluster in the console and choose Connect to instantly launch an AWS CloudShell session with kubectl pre-configured for that cluster. You can then run kubectl commands immediately to inspect workloads, troubleshoot issues, or manage resources without switching to a local terminal. This feature supports clusters with both public and private API server endpoints. Each CloudShell session also includes the AWS CLI and standard CloudShell utilities, giving you immediate access to essential cluster operations.

One-click cluster access is available at no additional charge in all the AWS Regions where Amazon EKS is available. To get started, see Connect kubectl to an EKS cluster in the Amazon EKS User Guide.