How to Copy Files Between AWS Environments

The fastest way depends on your file size and whether the environments are in the same AWS account

If both environments are in the same AWS account and region, use the AWS Management Console to copy directly from one S3 bucket to another, or use the AWS CLI command aws s3 cp. If the environments are in different AWS accounts or regions, you will need temporary credentials or cross-account access set up first. For very large files or many files at once, S3 Transfer Acceleration or AWS DataSync may be faster than copying through your local machine.

The method you choose also depends on what kind of resource you are copying — a database, an EC2 instance, a file in S3, or an entire application stack. Each has a different fastest path.

Key Takeaways

Same account and region: use aws s3 cp from the command line or the S3 console to copy between buckets in seconds.
Different AWS accounts: set up cross-account S3 access with an IAM role and bucket policy, then use the CLI to copy.
Large files or many files: use AWS DataSync or S3 Transfer Acceleration to avoid bottlenecks on your local connection.
Databases: use AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) or native tools like pg_dump for PostgreSQL and mysqldump for MySQL instead of copying files directly.
EC2 instances: create an AMI (Amazon Machine Image) from the source instance and launch it in the target environment rather than copying files one by one.

Copying files between S3 buckets in the same account

Open the AWS Management Console, go to S3, and select the source bucket. Click the file or folder you want to copy, then choose Copy from the menu. Navigate to the destination bucket, click Paste, and confirm. This works for single files or small batches but becomes slow if you have hundreds of files.

For faster copying of multiple files, open a terminal and use the AWS CLI. First, make sure you have the AWS CLI installed and your credentials configured. Then run:

aws s3 cp s3://source-bucket/path s3://destination-bucket/path --recursive

The --recursive flag copies all files in the folder and its subfolders. If you want to see progress as files copy, add --no-progress to remove the progress bar or leave it out to see it. The copy happens on AWS servers, not through your computer, so it is much faster than downloading and re-uploading.

Copying files between different AWS accounts

If the source and destination buckets are in different AWS accounts, you need to set up cross-account access. The destination account must have permission to read from the source bucket. Start by creating an IAM role in the destination account that allows S3 read access, then modify the bucket policy on the source bucket to allow that role to read.

In the source account, go to S3, select the bucket, click Permissions, then Bucket Policy. Add a policy that allows the destination account's IAM role to read the bucket. The policy should look like this:

{ "Version": "2012-10-17", "Statement": [ { "Effect": "Allow", "Principal": { "AWS": "arn:aws:iam::DESTINATION-ACCOUNT-ID:role/ROLE-NAME" }, "Action": "s3:GetObject", "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::source-bucket/*" } ] }

Replace DESTINATION-ACCOUNT-ID with the 12-digit AWS account ID of the destination account and ROLE-NAME with the name of the IAM role you created there. Once the policy is in place, assume that role in the destination account and run the same aws s3 cp command as above.

Copying databases between environments

Do not copy database files directly using S3 or file transfer tools. Databases have internal consistency requirements, and copying files while the database is running will corrupt them. Instead, use the database's native backup and restore tools or AWS Database Migration Service.

For PostgreSQL, use pg_dump to create a backup file on the source environment, then upload it to S3 or transfer it to the destination environment and restore it with psql. For MySQL, use mysqldump the same way. For RDS databases, use AWS Backup or create a snapshot in the source environment, copy the snapshot to the destination account if needed, and restore from it in the destination environment.

AWS Database Migration Service (DMS) is the best option if you need to copy a database while it is still running or if you need to migrate to a different database engine (for example, from MySQL to PostgreSQL). DMS handles the schema conversion and data transfer automatically.

Copying EC2 instances and their data

If you need to copy an entire EC2 instance to another environment, create an AMI (Amazon Machine Image) from the source instance instead of copying files. Go to the EC2 console, right-click the running instance, select Image and templates, then Create image. Give it a name and description, then click Create image. AWS will create a snapshot of the instance's storage and register it as an AMI.

Once the AMI is ready, you can launch new instances from it in the same region or copy the AMI to another region. To copy to another region, go to the AMI list, right-click the AMI, select Copy AMI, choose the destination region, and confirm. This preserves the instance's configuration, installed software, and data all at once, which is much faster than copying files manually.

If you only need specific files from an EC2 instance, connect to the instance via SSH or Systems Manager Session Manager and copy the files to an S3 bucket, then download them in the destination environment. This is slower but useful if you do not need the entire instance.

Using AWS DataSync for large-scale file transfers

If you are copying terabytes of data or thousands of files, AWS DataSync can be faster than the CLI. DataSync is a managed service that copies data between S3, EFS, and on-premises storage with built-in error checking and automatic retries. It also compresses data in transit and can run on a schedule.

To use DataSync, create a task in the AWS DataSync console, specify the source and destination locations, and start the transfer. DataSync runs the copy on AWS infrastructure, not through your local machine, so it does not consume your internet bandwidth. For very large transfers, DataSync can be significantly faster than aws s3 cp, especially if you have many small files.

DataSync does charge per gigabyte transferred, so it is most cost-effective for large one-time migrations or regular scheduled transfers. For small files or occasional copies, the AWS CLI is free and fast enough.

Copying files between regions in the same account

If both environments are in the same AWS account but different regions, you can still use aws s3 cp, but the data will travel across the internet between regions, which takes longer and may incur data transfer charges. To speed this up, enable S3 Transfer Acceleration on the destination bucket. This uses CloudFront edge locations to route the data more efficiently.

To enable Transfer Acceleration, go to the S3 bucket settings, click Properties, find Transfer acceleration, and click Enable. Then modify your copy command to use the accelerated endpoint:

aws s3 cp s3://source-bucket/path s3://destination-bucket/path --recursive --region us-east-1

Transfer Acceleration costs extra per gigabyte, so check the pricing before using it for large transfers. For small files or infrequent copies, the standard copy is usually fast enough and cheaper.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if the copy fails partway through?

The AWS CLI will retry failed files automatically. If the entire command fails, you can run it again and it will skip files that already exist in the destination (unless you add the --force flag). For very large transfers, use AWS DataSync instead, which has built-in resumption and better error handling.

Can I copy files while an application is using them?

Yes, for files in S3 or on EFS. For databases or EC2 instance storage, you should stop the application or create a snapshot first to avoid copying inconsistent data. If you cannot stop the application, use AWS Database Migration Service for databases or create an AMI for EC2 instances.

How do I know if the copy was successful?

The AWS CLI will print a summary at the end showing how many files were copied. You can also compare file counts and sizes between source and destination using aws s3 ls with the --recursive and --summarize flags to verify everything arrived.

Does copying between regions cost money?

Yes, AWS charges for data transferred between regions. Copying within the same region is free. If you are copying large amounts of data between regions regularly, consider using AWS DataSync or S3 Transfer Acceleration, which may be more cost-effective than standard transfers depending on your volume.

Can I copy files from on-premises storage to AWS?

Yes, using AWS DataSync, AWS Storage Gateway, or the AWS CLI if you have internet access. DataSync is the fastest option for large transfers. For smaller amounts of data, you can upload directly to S3 using the CLI or console.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.