== Using the Admin Console

You configure realms and perform most administrative tasks in the {project_name} Admin Console.

.Prerequisites

To use the Admin Console, you need an administrator account.

* If no administrators exist, see xref:creating-first-admin_{context}[Creating the first administrator].
* If other administrators exist, ask an administrator to provide an account with privileges to manage realms.

.Procedure

. Go to the URL for the Admin Console.
+
For example, for localhost, use this URL: http://localhost:8080{kc_admins_path}/

. Enter the username and password you created on the Welcome Page or through environment variables as described in https://www.keycloak.org/server/configuration#_creating_the_initial_admin_user[Creating the initial admin user].
+
.Login page
image:images/login-page.png[Login page]
+
This action displays the Admin Console.
+
.Admin Console
image:images/admin-console.png[Admin Console]

. Note the menus and other options that you can use:

* Click the *Current realm* to see if other realms are available to be managed.

* Click *Create realm* to create another realm that you can manage.

* Click the top right list to view your account or log out.

. Click *Realm settings* in the menu to see the fields and options for this realm.
+
Click a question mark *?* icon to show the definition of a field such as *Frontend URL*.

+
.Realm settings
image:images/realm-settings.png[Realm settings]

[NOTE]
====
Export files from the Admin Console are not suitable for backups or data transfer between servers. Only boot-time exports are suitable for backups or data transfer between servers.
====