About the exam
A+ Exam structure
CompTIA A+ 220-1201 and 220-1202 prep with 601 original practice questions, combined-core weighted mocks, flashcards, and topic recovery.
Issuer and path
CompTIA A+ Exam Prep is administered through CompTIA. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Core 1: Mobile Devices
13 scored + 0 pretest
Laptop hardware, mobile device components, accessories, connectivity, MDM, synchronization, and mobile application support.
Core 1: Networking
23 scored + 0 pretest
Protocols, ports, wireless standards, SOHO networking, IP addressing, DNS, DHCP, network services, and network appliances.
Core 1: Hardware
25 scored + 0 pretest
Cables, connectors, storage, memory, motherboards, CPUs, power, peripherals, printers, displays, and workstation setup.
Core 1: Virtualization and Cloud Computing
11 scored + 0 pretest
Virtualization concepts, virtual desktop infrastructure, cloud models, cloud services, and cloud resource characteristics.
Core 1: Hardware and Network Troubleshooting
28 scored + 0 pretest
Troubleshooting hardware, storage, boot, display, mobile, network, wireless, printer, and multifunction device symptoms.
Core 2: Operating Systems
28 scored + 0 pretest
Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, mobile operating systems, installations, command-line tools, utilities, networking, and cloud productivity tools.
Core 2: Security
28 scored + 0 pretest
Physical and logical security, authentication, wireless security, malware removal, SOHO security, browser settings, data handling, and social engineering.
Core 2: Software Troubleshooting
23 scored + 0 pretest
Windows, mobile OS, application, browser, security, connectivity, performance, update, and user-profile troubleshooting.
Core 2: Operational Procedures
21 scored + 0 pretest
Documentation, ticketing, asset management, change management, backup, recovery, safety, communication, professionalism, privacy, and AI considerations.
Before you schedule
Confirm that you are scheduling the matching 220-1201 and 220-1202 series, review Pearson VUE rules, ID requirements, voucher dates, retake rules, and whether you want to take the cores separately.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laptop and Mobile Device Hardware | 5 | 20 | 10 | Priority |
| Mobile Connectivity, Accessories and MDM | 5 | 19 | 10 | Strong |
| Network Protocols, Ports and Services | 8 | 35 | 10 | Priority |
| Wireless, SOHO and Network Appliances | 8 | 34 | 10 | Strong |
| Hardware Components, Storage and Power | 8 | 38 | 10 | Priority |
| Peripherals, Printers and Displays | 8 | 37 | 10 | Strong |
| Virtualization, Cloud and SaaS Support | 6 | 33 | 10 | Priority |
| Hardware, Boot and Network Troubleshooting | 9 | 42 | 10 | Priority |
| Printer, Display and Mobile Troubleshooting | 9 | 42 | 10 | Strong |
| OS Types, Installation and Windows Tools | 10 | 43 | 10 | Priority |
| Windows, macOS, Linux and Cloud Productivity | 10 | 42 | 10 | Strong |
| Physical, Logical and Wireless Security | 10 | 42 | 10 | Priority |
| Malware, SOHO and Browser Security | 10 | 42 | 10 | Priority |
| Windows, Mobile and Security Troubleshooting | 7 | 35 | 10 | Priority |
| Application, Browser and Network Troubleshooting | 7 | 34 | 10 | Strong |
| Documentation, Change, Backup and Recovery | 8 | 32 | 10 | Priority |
| Safety, Professionalism, Data Handling and AI | 8 | 31 | 10 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to study for CompTIA A+
Treat each A+ item as a support decision: identify the device, symptom, layer, safest next step, user impact, and documentation requirement.
1. Identify the system and symptom
Name the device, OS, component, network layer, user impact, and recent change.
2. Check simple and safe causes
Verify power, cable, signal, account, license, permissions, updates, and configuration before replacing parts.
3. Isolate and fix the cause
Use the right tool, log, known-good component, rollback, patch, or configuration change.
4. Verify and document
Confirm full functionality, protect data, communicate outcome, and record actions and lessons learned.
Laptop and Mobile Device Hardware
A+ Core 1 mobile questions cover laptop parts, field-replaceable components, mobile hardware symptoms, and safe replacement choices.
Key rules
Rule 1
Mobile device service starts with identifying the component, form factor, compatibility, and safe replacement process.
Exam cue: Identify the replaceable component before choosing a tool or process.
Rule 2
Laptop upgrades often involve storage, memory, batteries, wireless cards, input devices, cameras, and privacy hardware.
Exam cue: Check compatibility and physical access first.
Rule 3
Technicians must protect data, power, connectors, and fragile parts while servicing portable devices.
Exam cue: Protect power, data, and fragile connectors during service.
Common traps
Forcing a connector that uses a latch or ribbon cable.
Prevention: Avoid answers that skip verification, expose user data, ignore recent changes, replace parts too early, or bypass policy for convenience.
Replacing a whole device before isolating a field-replaceable part.
Prevention: Avoid answers that skip verification, expose user data, ignore recent changes, replace parts too early, or bypass policy for convenience.
Ignoring battery and ESD safety while servicing portable hardware.
Prevention: Avoid answers that skip verification, expose user data, ignore recent changes, replace parts too early, or bypass policy for convenience.
Memory anchors
Laptop Battery
A laptop battery should be replaced with a compatible part and handled with power safety in mind.
SODIMM
SODIMM memory is commonly used in laptops and must match supported generation, speed, and capacity.
SSD Upgrade
An SSD upgrade improves performance but must match interface, form factor, and migration needs.
Wireless Card
A wireless card provides Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity and may require antenna leads.
Ribbon Cable
A ribbon cable is fragile and often uses a locking connector that must be released carefully.
Camera Module
A camera module can create video or privacy symptoms when disconnected, blocked, or failed.
Microphone
A microphone fault can be hardware, application permission, driver, or input-selection related.
Biometrics
Biometrics authenticate with physical traits such as fingerprint or facial recognition.
NFC
Near-field communication supports short-range pairing, payment, identity, or data exchange.
ESD Safety
ESD safety reduces the chance of damaging components with static discharge.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
A laptop battery has swollen enough to lift the trackpad. Which component should the technician remove from service and replace with a compatible part?
A company wants users to unlock laptops with fingerprints instead of entering a password at every sign-in. Which authentication technology meets this requirement?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 Objectives
Official CompTIA PDF listing Core 1 exam details, domains, percentages, and objectives.
CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 Objectives
Official CompTIA PDF listing Core 2 exam details, domains, percentages, and objectives.
CompTIA A+ Certification
CompTIA certification page for A+ candidate and exam information.
FAQ
Common A+ questions
Is this the official CompTIA A+ exam?
No. These are original practice questions aligned to CompTIA's public A+ 220-1201 and 220-1202 objectives. They are not copied from secure exam material.
Do I need to pass both exams?
Yes. CompTIA states that candidates must pass Core 1 220-1201 and Core 2 220-1202 to receive the A+ certification.
Why is the mock 180 questions?
A+ is a two-exam credential. The mock blends both current cores, using 90-question Core 1 and 90-question Core 2 weighting.
What should I study first?
Start with hardware, networking, operating systems, and troubleshooting. Those domains carry the largest practical support load.
How should I use the 601 questions?
Use topic drills for weak areas, section drills for each official domain, then combined mocks to practice both cores in proportion.