---
name: watson-index
title: Getting started with Watson and IBM Cloud
description: You're just a few steps away from getting started with IBM Watson®.
last-updated: 2021-09-13
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/watson?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Getting started with Watson and IBM Cloud
{: #about}
{: toc-content-type="tutorial"}
{: toc-completion-time="10m"}

You're just a few steps away from getting started with IBM Watson®.
{: shortdesc}

## Getting a free IBM Cloud account
{: #free-account}
{: step}

Create an account on IBM Cloud to try Watson services for free with no time restrictions: [Sign up for free](https://cloud.ibm.com/registration/?target=%2Fdeveloper%2Fwatson%2Fdashboard){: external}. You'll receive an email to confirm and activate your account.

## Finding and creating a service instance
{: #access-console}
{: step}

1.  After you activate your account and log in, select a service that fits your needs from the [Watson console](https://cloud.ibm.com/developer/watson/dashboard){: external}.
1.  Create an instance of the service by clicking **Start free plan**.

## Next steps
{: #gs-index-next-steps}

You're ready to go.

Start by launching the tool for the service, if available. You can also run through the **Getting started** tutorial in the [docs](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs?tab=all-docs&category=ai).