> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://prefect-bd373955-pytest-markdown.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect to Prefect Cloud

> Configure a local execution environment to access Prefect Cloud.

To create flow runs in a local or remote execution environment, first connect with Prefect Cloud or a
Prefect server as the backend API server.

This involves:

* Configuring the execution environment with the location of the API.
* Authenticating with the API, either by logging in or providing a valid API key (Prefect Cloud only).

## Log into Prefect Cloud from a terminal

Configure a local execution environment to use Prefect Cloud as the API server for flow runs.
You will "log in" to Prefect Cloud from a local environment where you want to run a flow.

### Steps

1. Open a new terminal session.
2. [Install Prefect](/3.0rc/get-started/install/) in the environment where you want to execute flow runs.

<div class="terminal">
  ```bash
  $ pip install -U prefect
  ```
</div>

3. Use the `prefect cloud login` Prefect CLI command to log into Prefect Cloud from your environment.

<div class="terminal">
  ```bash
  $ prefect cloud login
  ```
</div>

The `prefect cloud login` command provides an interactive login experience.
You can log in with either an [API key](/3.0rc/manage/cloud/manage-users/api-keys/) or through a browser.

<div class="terminal">
  ```bash
  $ prefect cloud login
  ? How would you like to authenticate? [Use arrows to move; enter to select]
  > Log in with a web browser
      Paste an API key
  Paste your authentication key:
  ? Which workspace would you like to use? [Use arrows to move; enter to select]
  > prefect/terry-prefect-workspace
      g-gadflow/g-workspace
  Authenticated with Prefect Cloud! Using workspace 'prefect/terry-prefect-workspace'.
  ```
</div>

### Change workspaces

To change which workspace to sync with, use the `prefect cloud workspace set`
Prefect CLI command while logged in, passing the account handle and workspace name:

<div class="terminal">
  ```bash
  $ prefect cloud workspace set --workspace "prefect/my-workspace"
  ```
</div>

If you don't provide a workspace, you will need to select one.

**Workspace Settings** also shows you the `prefect cloud workspace set` Prefect CLI
command to sync a local execution environment with a given workspace.

You may also use the `prefect cloud login` command with the `--workspace` or `-w` option to set the current workspace.

<div class="terminal">
  ```bash
  $ prefect cloud login --workspace "prefect/my-workspace"
  ```
</div>

## Manually configure Prefect API settings

You can manually configure the `PREFECT_API_URL` setting to specify the Prefect Cloud API.

For Prefect Cloud, configure the `PREFECT_API_URL` and `PREFECT_API_KEY` settings to authenticate
with Prefect Cloud by using an account ID, workspace ID, and API key.

<div class="terminal">
  ```bash
  $ prefect config set PREFECT_API_URL="https://api.prefect.cloud/api/accounts/[ACCOUNT-ID]/workspaces/[WORKSPACE-ID]"
  $ prefect config set PREFECT_API_KEY="[API-KEY]"
  ```
</div>

When you're in a Prefect Cloud workspace, you can copy the `PREFECT_API_URL` value directly from the page URL.

This example configures `PREFECT_API_URL` and `PREFECT_API_KEY` in the default profile.
You can use `prefect profile` CLI commands to create settings profiles for different configurations.
For example, you can configure a "cloud" profile to use the Prefect Cloud API URL and API key;
and another "local" profile for local development using a local Prefect API server started with `prefect server start`.
See [Settings](/3.0rc/manage/configure-client/) for details.

<Note>
  **Environment variables**

  You can set `PREFECT_API_URL` and `PREFECT_API_KEY` just like any other environment variable.
  See [Overriding defaults with environment variables](/3.0rc/manage/configure-client/#overriding-defaults-with-environment-variables)
  for more information.
</Note>

## Install requirements in execution environments

In local and remote execution environments, such as VMs and containers, ensure that you've installed any flow
requirements or dependencies before creating a flow run.