**To create a key pair**

The following ``create-key-pair`` example creates a key pair that you can use to authenticate and connect to an instance.  ::

    aws lightsail create-key-pair \
        --key-pair-name MyPersonalKeyPair

The output provides the private key base64 value that you can use to authenticate to instances that use the created key pair.
**Note:** Copy and paste the private key base64 value to a safe location because you cannot retrieve it later. ::

    {
        "keyPair": {
            "name": "MyPersonalKeyPair",
            "arn": "arn:aws:lightsail:us-west-2:111122223333:KeyPair/55025c71-198f-403b-b42f-a69433e724fb",
            "supportCode": "621291663362/MyPersonalKeyPair",
            "createdAt": 1569866556.567,
            "location": {
                "availabilityZone": "all",
                "regionName": "us-west-2"
            },
            "resourceType": "KeyPair"
        },
        "publicKeyBase64": "ssh-rsa ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQCV0xUEwx96amPERH7K1bVT1tTFl9OmNk6o7m5YVHk9xlOdMbDRbFvhtXvw4jzJXXz5pBMxWOaGMz5K8QyTVOznoqp13Z8SBooH29hgmBNXiII1XPzEwqbj8mfo1+YVM5s5VuxWwm+BHUgedGUXno6uF7agqxZNO1kPLJBIVTW26SSYBJ0tE+y804UyVsjrbUqCaMXDhmfXpWulMPwuXhwcKh7e8hwoTfkiX0E6Ql+KqF/MiA3w6DCjEqvvdIO7SiEZJFsuGNfYDDN3w60Rel5MUhmn3OJdn4y/A7NWb3IxL4pPfVE4rgFRKU8n1jp9kwRnlVMVBOWuGXk6n+H6M2f1 ",
        "privateKeyBase64": "-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----EXAMPLETCCAfICCQD6m7oRw0uXOjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFADCBiDELMAkGA1UEBhMC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\nNYiytVbZPQUQ5Yaxu2jXnimvw3rrszlaEXAMPLE=\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----",
        "operation": {
            "id": "67f984db-9994-45fe-ad38-59bafcaf82ef",
            "resourceName": "MyPersonalKeyPair",
            "resourceType": "KeyPair",
            "createdAt": 1569866556.567,
            "location": {
                "availabilityZone": "all",
                "regionName": "us-west-2"
            },
            "isTerminal": true,
            "operationType": "CreateKeyPair",
            "status": "Succeeded",
            "statusChangedAt": 1569866556.704
        }
    }