I'm having issues with AWS key pair process

Based on your description, you're experiencing issues with AWS key pairs after creation. Let me help clarify the process.

When you create a key pair in AWS EC2, you're provided with a private key file that you need to download and save securely. This file typically comes in either .pem format (for Linux/Mac users) or .ppk format (for PuTTY users on Windows).

The key pair itself isn't something you "install" on AWS - rather, you use the private key file to authenticate when connecting to your EC2 instances. AWS stores the public key portion on the instance, while you keep the private key.

Here are some common issues and solutions:

1. If you're using PuTTY and have a .pem file, you'll need to convert it to .ppk format using PuTTYgen.

2. If you're getting permission errors, ensure your private key file has the correct permissions (chmod 400 keyfile.pem for Linux/Mac).

3. Make sure you're using the correct username for your EC2 instance (e.g., ec2-user, ubuntu, etc.).

4. Verify your EC2 security group allows SSH access (port 22) from your IP address.

5. Ensure you're selecting the correct key file when connecting.

If you're still experiencing issues, you might want to try alternative access methods like AWS Systems Manager Session Manager or EC2 Instance Connect through the AWS Management Console.

Remember that if you lose your private key file, there's no way to recover it from AWS, and you'll need to create a new key pair.
Sources
EC2 key-pair question | AWS re:Post
Creating a PPK access key | AWS re:Post
Amazon EC2 key pairs and Amazon EC2 instances - Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud