Difference between "Region settings-Target accounts" and "AMI sharing-AWS accounts" in ImageBuilder

The difference between "Region settings-Target accounts" and "AMI sharing-AWS accounts" in EC2 Image Builder lies in how the AMI is distributed and accessed:

1. Region settings-Target accounts: This option creates a copy of the AMI in the specified target accounts. The AMI is actually replicated to these accounts, and they become the owners of the new AMI copy. This is useful when you want the target accounts to have full control over the AMI.

2. AMI sharing-AWS accounts: This option grants launch permissions to the specified AWS accounts without creating a copy. The original account retains ownership of the AMI, and the shared accounts can only use it to launch instances.

In your case, since you're trying to distribute the AMI to another account (222222222222), you should use the "Region settings-Target accounts" option. This will create a copy of the AMI in the target account.

The error message you're seeing suggests that there might be an issue with the permissions or the role setup in the destination account. Here are some steps to troubleshoot:

1. Ensure that you've created the correct IAM role in the destination account (222222222222) as described in the cross-account distribution documentation.

2. Verify that the role in the destination account has the necessary permissions to create and manage AMIs.

3. Check that the source account (111111111111) has permission to assume the role in the destination account.

4. If you're using KMS encryption, make sure the key policies are set up correctly to allow cross-account access.

5. Double-check that you're not hitting any service limits in either account.

If you're not using encryption and have set up the roles correctly, you might need to contact AWS support for further assistance, as there could be an underlying issue with the Image Builder service or account configurations.

Remember, when using the "Region settings-Target accounts" option, you don't need to also use the "AMI sharing-AWS accounts" option for the same account, as the AMI will be copied to the target account rather than shared.
Sources
Set up cross-account AMI distribution with Image Builder - EC2 Image Builder
Share an AMI with specific AWS accounts - Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud
Resolve tags that aren't visible in EC2 Image Builder for Linux | AWS re:Post