Updates the description of a customer master key (CMK). To see the description of a CMK, use DescribeKey .
The CMK that you use for this operation must be in a compatible key state. For details, see How Key State Affects Use of a Customer Master Key in the AWS Key Management Service Developer Guide .
Cross-account use : No. You cannot perform this operation on a CMK in a different AWS account.
Required permissions : kms:UpdateKeyDescription (key policy)
Related operations
CreateKey
DescribeKey
See also: AWS API Documentation
See ‘aws help’ for descriptions of global parameters.
update-key-description
--key-id <value>
--description <value>
[--cli-input-json | --cli-input-yaml]
[--generate-cli-skeleton <value>]
--key-id (string)
A unique identifier for the customer master key (CMK).
Specify the key ID or the Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the CMK.
For example:
Key ID:
1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890abKey ARN:
arn:aws:kms:us-east-2:111122223333:key/1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890abTo get the key ID and key ARN for a CMK, use ListKeys or DescribeKey .
--description (string)
New description for the CMK.
--cli-input-json | --cli-input-yaml (string)
Reads arguments from the JSON string provided. The JSON string follows the format provided by --generate-cli-skeleton. If other arguments are provided on the command line, those values will override the JSON-provided values. It is not possible to pass arbitrary binary values using a JSON-provided value as the string will be taken literally. This may not be specified along with --cli-input-yaml.
--generate-cli-skeleton (string)
Prints a JSON skeleton to standard output without sending an API request. If provided with no value or the value input, prints a sample input JSON that can be used as an argument for --cli-input-json. Similarly, if provided yaml-input it will print a sample input YAML that can be used with --cli-input-yaml. If provided with the value output, it validates the command inputs and returns a sample output JSON for that command.
See ‘aws help’ for descriptions of global parameters.
Example 1: To delete the description of a customer managed CMK
The following update-key-description example deletes the description to a customer managed CMK.
The --key-id parameter identifies the CMK in the command. This example uses a key ID value, but you can use either the key ID or the key ARN of the CMK.
The --description parameter with an empty string value (‘’) deletes the existing description.
aws kms update-key-description \
--key-id 0987dcba-09fe-87dc-65ba-ab0987654321 \
--description ''
This command produces no output. To view the description of a CMK, use the the describe-key command.
For more information, see UpdateKeyDescription in the AWS Key Management Service API Reference.
Example 2: To add or change a description to a customer managed CMK
The following update-key-description example adds a description to a customer managed CMK. You can use the same command to change an existing description.
The --key-id parameter identifies the CMK in the command. This example uses a key ARN value, but you can use either the key ID or the key ARN of the CMK.
The --description parameter specifies the new description. The value of this parameter replaces the current description of the CMK, if any.
aws kms update-key-description \
--key-id arn:aws:kms:us-west-2:123456789012:key/1234abcd-12ab-34cd-56ef-1234567890ab \
--description "IT Department test key"
This command produces no output. To view the description of a CMK, use the describe-key command.
For more information, see UpdateKeyDescription in the AWS Key Management Service API Reference.
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