diff --git a/docs/configuring-playbook-synapse-s3-storage-provider.md b/docs/configuring-playbook-synapse-s3-storage-provider.md
index d5d5ca5e2..c704a747f 100644
--- a/docs/configuring-playbook-synapse-s3-storage-provider.md
+++ b/docs/configuring-playbook-synapse-s3-storage-provider.md
@@ -30,13 +30,23 @@ After [creating the S3 bucket and configuring it](configuring-playbook-s3.md#buc
 
 ```yaml
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_enabled: true
+
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_bucket: your-bucket-name
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_region_name: some-region-name # e.g. eu-central-1
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url: https://s3.REGION_NAME.amazonaws.com # adjust this
-matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id: access-key-goes-here
-matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key: secret-key-goes-here
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_storage_class: STANDARD # or STANDARD_IA, etc.
 
+# Authentication Method 1 - (access key id + secret)
+# This works on all providers (AWS and other compatible systems).
+# Uncomment the variables below to use it.
+# matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id: access-key-goes-here
+# matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key: secret-key-goes-here
+
+# Authentication Method 2 - EC2 instance profile which grants permission to access S3
+# This only works on AWS when your server is hosted on an EC2 instance with the correct instance profile set.
+# Uncomment the variable below to use it.
+# matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_ec2_instance_profile: true
+
 # For additional advanced settings, take a look at `roles/custom/matrix-synapse/defaults/main.yml`
 ```
 
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/defaults/main.yml b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/defaults/main.yml
index 32d63df7d..88ef768e9 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/defaults/main.yml
@@ -885,6 +885,9 @@ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_region_name: ''
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url: ''
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id: ''
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key: ''
+# Enable this to use EC2 instance profile metadata to grab IAM credentials instead of passing credentials directly
+# via matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id and matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key
+matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_ec2_instance_profile: false
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_sse_customer_enabled: false
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_sse_customer_key: ''
 matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_sse_customer_algo: 'AES256'
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/tasks/ext/s3-storage-provider/validate_config.yml b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/tasks/ext/s3-storage-provider/validate_config.yml
index 317269b3c..406f186dc 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/tasks/ext/s3-storage-provider/validate_config.yml
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/tasks/ext/s3-storage-provider/validate_config.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 ---
-
 - name: Fail if required s3-storage-provider settings not defined
   ansible.builtin.fail:
     msg: >-
@@ -8,9 +7,16 @@
   with_items:
     - "matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_bucket"
     - "matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_region_name"
+    - "matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url"
+
+- name: Fail if required s3-storage-provider auth settings not defined when not using an EC2 profile
+  ansible.builtin.fail:
+    msg: >-
+      You need to define a required configuration setting (`{{ item }}`) for using s3-storage-provider.
+  when: "not matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_ec2_instance_profile | bool and vars[item] == ''"
+  with_items:
     - "matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id"
     - "matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key"
-    - "matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url"
 
 - name: Fail if required matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url looks invalid
   ansible.builtin.fail:
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/env.j2 b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/env.j2
index 58d262558..227fd89e4 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/env.j2
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/env.j2
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+{% if not matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_ec2_instance_profile | bool %}
 AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID={{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id }}
 AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY={{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key }}
+{% endif %}
 AWS_DEFAULT_REGION={{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_region_name }}
 
 ENDPOINT={{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url }}
diff --git a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/media_storage_provider.yaml.j2 b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/media_storage_provider.yaml.j2
index ac2b58dbb..97387e55c 100644
--- a/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/media_storage_provider.yaml.j2
+++ b/roles/custom/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/ext/s3-storage-provider/media_storage_provider.yaml.j2
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ config:
   bucket: {{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_bucket | to_json }}
   region_name: {{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_region_name | to_json }}
   endpoint_url: {{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_endpoint_url | to_json }}
+{% if not matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_ec2_instance_profile | bool %}
   access_key_id: {{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_access_key_id | to_json }}
   secret_access_key: {{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_secret_access_key | to_json }}
+{% endif %}
 
 {% if matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_sse_customer_enabled %}
   sse_customer_key: {{ matrix_synapse_ext_synapse_s3_storage_provider_config_sse_customer_key | to_json }}