How to fix Error: Backend configuration block has changed in Terraform

Use this if you want to keep your current backend configuration without migrating state:

terraform init -reconfigure

This reinitializes the backend and accepts the new configuration without attempting to migrate existing state files. Use this when you've intentionally changed backend settings.

Use this if you're moving state to a different backend location:

terraform init -migrate-state

Terraform will detect the backend change, check for existing state in the old backend, and prompt you to confirm the migration. Follow the prompts to migrate your state to the new backend location.

Always backup your state file before performing backend migrations:

terraform state pull > backup.tfstate

Keep this backup safe in case you need to recover state. This is critical for production environments.

Check your terraform block to ensure the backend configuration is correct:

terraform {
  backend "s3" {
    bucket         = "my-terraform-state"
    key            = "path/to/my/key"
    region         = "us-east-1"
    encrypt        = true
    dynamodb_table = "terraform-locks"
  }
}

Make sure all required parameters for your backend type are present and correct.

If neither reconfigure nor migrate-state works, try removing local Terraform metadata:

rm -rf .terraform
terraform init

This forces a completely fresh initialization. Only do this if other methods have failed and you've backed up your state.