[role="xpack"]
[[apm-ui]]
== Set up the APM app

++++
<titleabbrev>Set up</titleabbrev>
++++

APM is available via the navigation sidebar in {Kib}.
If you have not already installed and configured Elastic APM,
the *Setup Instructions* in Kibana will get you started.

[role="screenshot"]
image::apm/images/apm-setup.png[Installation instructions on the APM page in Kibana]

[float]
[[apm-configure-index-pattern]]
=== Load the index pattern

Index patterns tell Kibana which Elasticsearch indices you want to explore.
An APM index pattern is necessary for certain features in the APM app, like the query bar.
To set up the correct index pattern,
simply click *Load Kibana objects* at the bottom of the Setup Instructions.

[role="screenshot"]
image::apm/images/apm-index-pattern.png[Setup index pattern for APM in Kibana]

TIP: To use a custom index pattern,
adjust Kibana's <<apm-settings-in-kibana,settings>> or use the <<api-create-apm-index-pattern,Kibana API>>.

[float]
[[apm-getting-started-next]]
=== Next steps

No further configuration in the APM app is required.
Install an APM Agent library in your service to begin visualizing and analyzing your data!
