# Hands-on Lab: Creating an IBM Cloud Account **Estimated Effort:** 15 minutes ## Lab overview: To access the resources and services that the IBM Cloud provides, you need an IBM Cloud Account. This lab will take you through step-by-step instructions to create one. ## Objective(s): After completing this lab, you will be able to: * Create an IBM Cloud Trial Account using a Feature Code ## Prerequisite: Please ensure you click on the **\"Launch App\"** button from the previous section of this lab to get a feature code and activate the trial account before moving forward with the lab instructions. These instructions will help you create an IBM Cloud account. > **Note:** These instructions only apply to creating a **NEW** IBM Cloud account using an email address that you have not used previously to create another IBM Cloud account. If you have already used your IBM Cloud feature code in another course/lab to create an IBM Cloud account, please skip this lab, as the code can only be used once. # Activate Trial Account 1. The previous section of the lab is the first step for activating your IBM Cloud trial account using Feature Code. 2. On clicking on the `Launch App` button, you will get a unique code. 3. Next, click on Activate Your Trial. It will redirect you to the IBM Cloud registration page, to create an account on IBM Cloud.  # Create an IBM Cloud Account 1. Once you are on the [account creation](https://cloud.ibm.com/registration?utm_source=skills_network&utm_content=in_lab_content_link&utm_id=Lab-IBM-CC0100EN-SkillsNetwork) page, follow the below instructions to create an IBM cloud trial account. 2. Enter your **Email** address [preferably use Gmail ID or Yahoo ID] and a strong **Password**, as per criteria, and then click the **Next** button.  > **NOTE:** Please ensure that you provide an email address that you have not used previously to create any other IBM Cloud account, and you can readily access your email to retrieve the verification code required in the next step. 3. An email is sent to the address you signed up with to confirm your email address. Check your email and copy and paste **Verification code**. Then click **Next**.  4. Once your email is successfully verified, enter your **First name** and **Last name**, and select your country (for example, United States) under **Country or region** then click **Next**. >**Note:** Kindly use your full last name instead of just using single letters/initials. For example: First Name: Ada Last Name: Lovelace  5. Go through the Account Notice. If you wish, you can opt for email updates. Then accept the Terms and Conditions and click **Continue**.  6. Before creating your account, review the account privacy notice and acknowledge that you have read and understood by checking the checkbox and clicking **Continue**.  > It takes a few seconds to create and set up your account. 7. On the next screen, you will be asked to verify your identity where you will see the feature code has been applied for you already. Then click on **Create account**.  > **Note:** It might take a couple of minutes to create your account. > **Note:** Please ensure you do not use the Credit Card option to verify your account for coursework as that can result in unnecessary charges and delays in activating your account. 8. Once you have successfully created your IBM Cloud account, you should see the dashboard.  9. Now you may explore the [IBM Catalog](https://cloud.ibm.com/catalog?utm_source=skills_network&utm_content=in_lab_content_link&utm_id=Lab-IBM-CC0100EN-SkillsNetwork) for exploring the services and resources offered by IBM Cloud.  # Ways To Troubleshoot If you encounter any of the below errors while activating your IBM Cloud trial account, please follow the steps as instructed below. - Ooops snap! The promotional codes for IBM Cloud are very popular and have temporarily run out. Please check back soon. **Reason** - It takes 24 to 48 hours to populate news feature codes. **Solution** - Please try again later - Something went wrong error. **Reason** - This could be because you have already applied a code to this email earlier or your domain/country/IP is restricted. **Solution** - Try from another email id - Feature code expired. **Reason** - You may have applied the feature code already once. **Solution** - Create a new IBM cloud account and write to the support team as per the instructions below. - If your trial ends. **Reason** - Trial accounts are valid only for 6 months, and the same feature code cannot be applied again. **Solution** - Create a new IBM cloud account and write to the support team as per the instructions below. ## Other Possible Solutions: - Try clearing your browser\'s cache and cookies - Try from a different browser on an incognito mode. If you still face any issues, please write an email to support@cognitiveclass.ai with the following details **Subject Line:** Feature Code Issue **Email Content:** - Name of the course you are undertaking. - The course link where you obtained the feature code. - The feature code you are trying to apply. - The error message that it is shown. - The email ID used to create the IBM Cloud account. - Your username. Once you obtain a new feature code, you can create a new account using a different Email ID. Congratulations! You have successfully created your IBM Cloud Account! ## Author(s) <h4>Lavanya<h4/> ### Other Contributor(s) Rav Ahuja, Antonio Cangiano <!---## Changelog | Date | Version | Changed by | Change Description | |------|--------|--------|---------| | 2021-01-28 | 1.0 | Lavanya | Created new instructions for IBM Cloud Account creation | | 2022-03-15 | 2.0 | Samaah | Updated new instructions and images for IBM Cloud Account creation | | 2022-03-22 | 2.1 | Rav | Clarifications and edits | | 2022-05-16 | 2.2 | Srishti | Updated new instructions and images for IBM Cloud Account creation | | 2023-05-09 | 2.3 | Sapthashree | Updated new instructions and images for IBM Cloud Account creation | | 2023-05-09 | 2.4 | Sapthashree | Minor updates | | 2023-10-16 | 2.5 | Sapthashree | Updated the instructions | | 2024-03-18 | 2.5 | Patsy | Updated the step2 image, the IBM Dashboard image, and the IBM catalog image| | 2024-04-04 | 2.6 | K Sundararajan | Format corrected to be as per Standard Instructional lab format | | 2024-04-16 | 2.7 | K Sundararajan | Few more corrections for structure to align with Standard Instructional lab format | --> <footer> <img align="left" src="https://cf-courses-data.s3.us.cloud-object-storage.appdomain.cloud/nRmYgyM2KjRIIiG16R7ikg/ibmsn-footer-blue.png" /> </footer> <br/>