# AWS MCP Servers - Complete Guide to Amazon Web Services MCP Integration

> Learn how to use AWS MCP servers to connect Claude and Cursor to Amazon Web Services. Setup guides for S3, Lambda, EC2, DynamoDB, and more AWS services.

**Source:** https://mcpplaygroundonline.com/blog/aws-mcp-servers  
**Author:** Nikhil Tiwari  
**Published:** 2026-01-13  
**Updated:** 2026-01-22  
**Category:** Tutorial  
**Reading time:** 12 min read

---

📖 TL;DR - What You'll Learn

-   Set up official **AWS MCP servers** for Claude Desktop and Cursor
-   Configure **S3, Lambda, and DynamoDB** integrations
-   Create secure **IAM policies** with minimal permissions
-   Best practices for **AWS credentials** management

AWS MCP servers connect AI assistants to Amazon Web Services, enabling natural language control over your cloud infrastructure — S3, Lambda, DynamoDB, EC2, and more.

Table of Contents

1.  [What Are AWS MCP Servers?](#what-are-aws-mcp)
2.  [Available Servers](#available-servers)
3.  [Capabilities](#capabilities)
4.  [Security Best Practices](#security)
5.  [IAM Policy Example](#iam-policy)
6.  [FAQ](#faq)

## What Are AWS MCP Servers?

AWS MCP servers are Model Context Protocol integrations that connect AI assistants to Amazon Web Services. They enable Claude and Cursor to manage your cloud infrastructure through natural language.

**Supported AWS Services:**

S3 Lambda DynamoDB EC2 CloudWatch SQS/SNS IAM CloudFormation

## Available AWS MCP Servers

Copy these ready-to-use configurations for your Claude Desktop or Cursor setup:

### AWS MCP Server (Official) — Recommended

Comprehensive AWS integration supporting S3, Lambda, DynamoDB, and more:

```
{
 "mcpServers": {
 "aws": {
 "command": "npx",
 "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-aws"],
 "env": {
 "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "your-access-key",
 "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY": "your-secret-key",
 "AWS_REGION": "us-east-1"
 }
 }
 }
}
```

### AWS S3 MCP Server

Focused S3 integration for file storage operations:

```
{
 "mcpServers": {
 "s3": {
 "command": "npx",
 "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-s3"],
 "env": {
 "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "your-access-key",
 "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY": "your-secret-key",
 "AWS_REGION": "us-east-1"
 }
 }
 }
}
```

### AWS Lambda MCP Server

Serverless function management and invocation:

```
{
 "mcpServers": {
 "lambda": {
 "command": "npx",
 "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-aws-lambda"],
 "env": {
 "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID": "your-access-key",
 "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY": "your-secret-key",
 "AWS_REGION": "us-east-1"
 }
 }
 }
}
```

## AWS MCP Server Capabilities

Here's what you can do with AWS MCP servers:

Service

Operations

**S3**

List/create/delete buckets, upload/download files, generate presigned URLs, manage policies

**Lambda**

List/describe functions, invoke with payloads, view logs, update configuration

**DynamoDB**

Query/scan tables, put/get/delete items, create tables, batch operations

**EC2**

List instances, start/stop instances, describe security groups

**CloudWatch**

Query logs, get metrics, create alarms

## Security Best Practices

**⚠️ Important:** AWS credentials provide access to your cloud resources. Follow these best practices to protect your infrastructure.

-   **Use dedicated IAM users** — Create IAM users with minimal permissions specifically for MCP
-   **Never hardcode credentials** — Always use environment variables
-   **Enable MFA** — Add multi-factor authentication for sensitive operations
-   **Enable CloudTrail** — Log all API calls for auditing
-   **Rotate keys regularly** — Rotate access keys every 90 days

## Example: Minimal IAM Policy

Start with the minimum permissions needed. Here's an example for S3-only access:

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

**✅ Tip:** Start with read-only access (`s3:GetObject`, `s3:ListBucket`) and add write permissions only when needed.

## Use Cases

-   **DevOps Automation** — Deploy and manage infrastructure with natural language
-   **Data Analysis** — Query DynamoDB tables or analyze S3 data
-   **Log Investigation** — Search CloudWatch logs to debug issues
-   **Cost Optimization** — Analyze AWS spending and identify unused resources

Ready to connect Claude to AWS?

[Test AWS MCP Server →](/mcp-test-server) [Browse All Servers](/mcp-registry)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How do I get AWS credentials for MCP servers?+**

Create an IAM user in the AWS Console with programmatic access. Go to **IAM → Users → Add User**, enable "Access key", and save the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key. Never use your root account credentials.

**Can I use AWS MCP servers with Claude Desktop?+**

Yes! Add the AWS MCP server configuration to your `claude_desktop_config.json` file. See our [Claude Desktop MCP Setup Guide](/blog/how-to-setup-mcp-claude-desktop) for detailed instructions.

**Which AWS regions are supported?+**

All standard AWS regions are supported. Set the `AWS_REGION` environment variable to your desired region (e.g., `us-east-1`, `eu-west-1`, `ap-southeast-1`).

**Is it safe to use AWS MCP servers?+**

Yes, when configured properly. Always use IAM users with minimal permissions, never share credentials, enable CloudTrail logging, and rotate access keys regularly.

**Can I connect to multiple AWS accounts?+**

Yes! Create separate MCP server entries with different names and credentials for each account (e.g., `"aws-production"` and `"aws-staging"`).

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_Canonical page: https://mcpplaygroundonline.com/blog/aws-mcp-servers — MCP Playground (mcpplaygroundonline.com), the free browser-based tool for testing MCP servers and building AI agents._