---
title: How to manage IAM policies
description: Learn how to manage policies for access control.
dates:
  validation: 2025-07-15
  posted: 2022-06-20
---
import Requirements from '@macros/iam/requirements.mdx'

import image from './assets/scaleway-iam-users-dashboard.webp'
import image2 from './assets/scaleway-iam-policies.webp'
import image3 from './assets/scaleway-policy-overview.webp'


You can manage IAM [policies](/iam/concepts/#policy) in an Organization if you are the [Owner](/iam/concepts/#owner) of that Organization, or if you have sufficient permissions (via existing policies) to do so. Management actions including editing, attaching and detaching policies to/from groups and deleting groups from the Organization.

<Requirements />

- A Scaleway account logged into the [console](https://console.scaleway.com)
- [Owner](/iam/concepts/#owner) status or [IAM permissions](/iam/concepts/#permission) allowing you to perform actions in the intended Organization

## How to access the policy overview

1. Click **IAM & API keys** on the top-right drop-down menu of the Scaleway console. The **Users** tab of the [Identity and Access Management dashboard](https://console.scaleway.com/iam/users) displays.
    <Lightbox image={image} alt="" />
2. Click the **Policies** tab. A list of the Organization's IAM policies displays.
    <Lightbox image={image2} alt="" />
3. Click the name of the policy you want to manage. Alternatively, click <Icon name="more" /> next to the policy, and select **Overview**. Either way, you are taken to the policy's **Overview** page.
    Follow the steps below depending on the management action you wish to take.

## How to edit a policy's name and description

From the policy's [Overview page](#how-to-access-the-policy-overview):

<Lightbox image={image3} alt="" />

- Click directly on the policy name at the top of the page (**instance-manager** in the example above) to edit it, and click <Icon name="validate" /> when finished.
- Click directly on the policy description in the **Policy Information** panel (**data-project-group** in the example above) to edit it, and click <Icon name="validate" /> when finished.

## How to edit a policy's rules

1. From the policy's [Overview page](#how-to-access-the-policy-overview), scroll down to the **Rules** panel and click <Icon name="edit" /> next to the rule you want to edit.
2. Edit the rule as required. You can edit the scope, permission sets and conditions.
    <Message type="important">
      Keep in mind that:
      - Conditions can only be edited using the **Advanced** editor. You must update the [CEL](/iam/concepts#common-expression-language-cel) expression in the editor to update the condition. Refer to the [Understanding policy conditions](/iam/reference-content/understanding-policy-conditions) documentation page for more details about how to write condition expressions, as well as examples of conditions.
      - Due to replication and caching, whenever you update a policy, any new configuration of permission sets may take up to 1 minute to apply.
    </Message>
3. Click **Validate** to finish.
    <Message type="tip">
      See our documentation about [creating policies](/iam/how-to/create-policy/) for more help with building rules.
    </Message>

## How to detach a policy from a user

1. Click the **x** button next to the policy you want to detach from the user. A pop-up displays asking you to confirm the action.
2. Click **Detach policy** to confirm.
    <Message type="important">
      - Since policies can only be attached to one [principal](/iam/concepts/#principal) at a time, detaching a policy from the user means that the policy becomes orphaned. The policy will remain in your list of policies, but will have no effect until you attach it to another principal.
      - Due to replication and caching, whenever you update a policy, any new configuration of permission sets may take up to 1 minute to apply.
    </Message>

## How to attach another policy to a user

A user may be attached to multiple policies.

1. Click **Attach a policy** to attach another policy to the user. A pop-up displays.
2. Select an action between: **creating a new policy**, **selecting an unassigned policy** or **duplicating an existing policy**.

    <Message type="note">
      When you [create a new policy](/iam/how-to/create-policy/) or duplicate an existing one, you are redirected to the IAM policies page. The following steps apply when you choose to select an unassigned policy.
    </Message>
3. Select the policy you want to attach to the user from the drop-down list.
4. Click **Validate** to finish.
    The selected policy is attached to the user.

<Message type="important">
  Keep in mind that, due to replication and caching, whenever you update a policy, any new configuration of permission sets may take up to 1 minute to apply.
</Message>

## How to delete a policy

<Message type="important">
  Be aware that when deleting a policy, all permissions it gives to its [principal](/iam/concepts/#principal) (user, group, or application) will be revoked.
</Message>

1. From the policy's [Overview page](#how-to-access-the-policy-overview), scroll down to the **Delete policy** panel.
2. Click **Delete policy**. A warning displays, asking you to confirm your action.
3. Type **DELETE** to confirm, and click **Delete policy** to validate.

<Message type="important">
  Keep in mind that, due to replication and caching, whenever you update a policy, any new configuration of permission sets may take up to 1 minute to apply.
</Message>