Choose "Create a new key pair" on the page that says "Select an existing key pair or create a new key pair." Then, give the key pair any name you want. Pick "Download Key Pair," and then save the file with the keys to your phone. To join to your EC$2$ server, you need this key pair file.

$-$Click Launch Instances to start your EC$2$ server. Not the name of your new EC$2$ server, but on the Launch Status page. Click on View Instances to get to your instance. Do not go any further until the Instance Status for your instance says "Running."

To use PuTTYgen to change the private key, open the app from the start menu.

$-$Under "Type of key to generate," pick "RSA." If "RSA" isn't there, pick $"$SSH$-2$ RSA."

$-$Select Load. PuTTYgen only shows files with the.ppk ending by default.

$-$Choose Open and then choose the.pem file that has the key pair that you set up when you started your instance. The.pem file was properly loaded, and PuTTYgen shows a message about it$.$ Pick OK$.$

$-$Click Save private key to save the key in a format that PuTTY can read. When you save the key without a password, PuTTYgen warns you. Pick "Yes."

Give the key the same name you used for the key pair, then click "Save." Adding the.ppk file ending is done immediately by PuTTY.

$-$Start PuTTY to connect to your Linux machine.

$-$Click on Session in the Category pane and fill out the fields. Make sure to use the public DNS name for your server in the host name box. Make sure that the number of Port is $22.$ Pick SSH from the list of connection types.

$-$In the Category bar, click on Connection, then SSH$,$ and finally Auth. Choose Browse, then pick out the.ppk file you made for your key pair, and click Open to finish with this step.When you're connected to your instance, a window will pop up to let you know.