AB-900 exam domains
The AB-900 exam is weighted across 3 domains. Pick any domain below to drill it — or read the full breakdown in the FAQ.
| Exam domain | Exam weight | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Identify the core features and objects of Microsoft 365 services | 33% | Practice this topic |
| Understand data protection and governance tasks for Microsoft 365 and Copilot | 39% | Practice this topic |
| Perform basic administrative tasks for Copilot and agents | 28% | Practice this topic |
Sample AB-900 questions
A sample of the AB-900 questions on this hub. Each links through to the full question, the correct answer, and an explanation of why every other option is wrong.
- A compliance analyst at Contoso has deployed sensitivity labels across the organization and wants to review how users are interacting with labeled and…View question
- A maker in your organization uses Copilot Studio to build a custom agent that answers HR policy questions by grounding on an internal SharePoint site.…View question
- A company just purchased 200 Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses. The IT administrator wants to ensure that every new employee who joins the Marketing depa…View question
- A compliance officer reports that a confidential file stored in SharePoint Online was deleted last week, and management wants to know exactly which us…View question
- A compliance administrator wants to ensure that any document containing credit card numbers stored across all SharePoint sites and OneDrive accounts i…View question
- A financial services organization deploys Microsoft 365 Copilot. The compliance team is concerned that employees might use Copilot to draft emails or…View question
- Your organization has enabled multi-factor authentication for all users, but the security team notices that several accounts are still being accessed…View question
- Your organization wants to ensure that users can access SharePoint Online and Exchange Online only from devices that are enrolled and marked as compli…View question
- A user reports they were blocked from signing in to Microsoft 365 this morning. In the Microsoft Entra admin center, you see the sign-in was flagged a…View question
- Contoso has published a custom declarative agent for its HR department. The IT admin needs to ensure that only members of the HR team can see and use…View question
Key AB-900 terms
Start with these terms, then explore the full glossary. Each links to a plain-English definition written for the AB-900 exam.
AB-900 frequently asked questions
What is the AB-900 certification?+
Microsoft positions AB-900 for candidates familiar with Microsoft 365 core services, security, identity and access, data protection, and governance, along with Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents.
It expects familiarity with the admin centers for Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Microsoft Entra, and Microsoft Purview, plus core security features such as authentication, conditional access, and SSO.
What topics are on the AB-900 exam?+
The AB-900 exam is organised into three weighted domains. This hub reflects Microsoft’s skills-measured update effective July 22, 2026 — the domain groups are unchanged, with only minor sub-topic revisions. The percentages below are the midpoints of Microsoft’s published ranges (for example 35–40%), normalized to total 100, so treat them as a study-time guide. Data protection and governance for Microsoft 365 and Copilot carries the most weight.
Identify the core features and objects of Microsoft 365 services (33%)
Covers the core objects of Microsoft 365 services (licensing, admin centers, Exchange/SharePoint/Teams objects and roles), the Microsoft 365 security principles (Zero Trust, authentication, threat protection, Defender XDR), and core security features (Microsoft Entra ID, conditional access, SSO, PIM, sign-in troubleshooting).
Understand data protection and governance tasks for Microsoft 365 and Copilot (39%)
The largest domain. Covers Microsoft Purview (information protection, DLP, insider risk, communication compliance, DSPM for AI, lifecycle, sensitivity labels, retention), the data-security implications of Copilot (how it accesses data, how Microsoft Graph shapes responses), governance risks, and identifying and monitoring oversharing in SharePoint.
Perform basic administrative tasks for Copilot and agents (28%)
Covers the features and capabilities of Copilot and agents (built-in capabilities, licensing models, Researcher, Analyst, custom agents), basic admin tasks for Copilot (assigning licenses, billing, usage monitoring, managing prompts), and basic admin tasks for agents (access, creation, approval, monitoring).
Is the AB-900 hard?+
AB-900 is a fundamentals exam, so it tests understanding and identification rather than deep configuration. The concepts are broad but assessed at a conceptual level.
The main challenge is the breadth across Microsoft 365 administration, Purview governance, and Copilot specifics. Familiarity with the admin centers and how Copilot uses Microsoft Graph and permissions makes the difference.
How many questions are on the AB-900 exam and how long is it?+
Microsoft does not fix a single public question count for AB-900; fundamentals exams typically present roughly 40–60 questions in a mix of formats — multiple choice and multiple response — and Microsoft allots 45 minutes to complete the assessment.
Our full-length practice mock uses a 60-question, 45-minute session so you can rehearse pacing under realistic time pressure before test day.
What score do you need to pass the AB-900?+
Microsoft scores AB-900 on a scale of 1 to 1,000, and the passing score is 700. That is a scaled score rather than a raw 70%, because Microsoft adjusts for question difficulty, and there is no penalty for wrong answers, so you should never leave a question blank. Our practice mock uses a 70% threshold to give you a comparable target.
How much does the AB-900 exam cost?+
The AB-900 exam fee is set by Microsoft and varies by region — check the Microsoft certification page for current pricing, and note that fundamentals exams are typically lower-cost. Microsoft fundamentals certifications do not expire. Everything on this hub is free.
Who should take the AB-900?+
AB-900 is aimed at administrators and support staff who deploy, secure, and manage Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents, and at anyone preparing to administer an AI-enabled Microsoft 365 tenant.
Microsoft recommends familiarity with Microsoft 365 core services, security, and the relevant admin centers, though there is no formal prerequisite.
What jobs and salaries can the AB-900 lead to?+
AB-900 maps to roles such as Microsoft 365 administrator, Copilot administrator, and help-desk or support engineer supporting AI-enabled Microsoft 365 environments.
How much any certification affects pay depends heavily on geography, seniority, and hands-on experience, so treat any single salary figure with caution. As a fundamentals credential, AB-900 is best viewed as a foundation and a stepping stone to associate certifications.
How long does it take to study for the AB-900?+
Many candidates prepare for AB-900 in two to four weeks, less with hands-on Microsoft 365 administration experience. The most efficient path is to study each domain while exploring the Microsoft 365 admin center, Purview, and Copilot admin settings.
Review every explanation, including for questions you answered correctly, because fundamentals distractors are built from plausible but incorrect statements. Use the per-domain results here to find and shore up your weakest area, then finish with full-length timed mocks.
How should you prepare for the AB-900?+
Study the three domains above, giving the heaviest weight to data protection and governance, then drill questions domain by domain. Every MockAPI question reveals a full explanation and tells you why each wrong answer is wrong — essential for a fundamentals exam whose distractors look plausible.
When you can answer questions comfortably, move to full-length timed mocks. Use the glossary to keep concepts like Microsoft Graph, sensitivity labels, and DSPM for AI straight, and aim to score consistently above the pass mark before you book.
Can you take the AB-900 exam online?+
Yes. Microsoft delivers AB-900 through Pearson VUE (and for students and educators through Certiport), so you can test at a physical centre or online with remote proctoring (OnVUE). The online exam requires a private, quiet room, a clear workspace, a webcam and microphone, a stable connection, and government-issued photo ID, with a proctor monitoring you and a room scan before you start.
If you do not pass, Microsoft requires a 24-hour wait before a second attempt; after that, a 14-day wait applies between further attempts, with a limit of five attempts in a 12-month period, and each attempt needs its own registration.
What certification should you take after the AB-900?+
After AB-900, common next steps include the AI Business Professional (AB-730) for the business-user side of Copilot, or associate certifications such as the Microsoft 365 Administrator (MS-102) or Identity and Access Administrator (SC-300).
For many, the real next step is administering Copilot and agents in a live tenant. Pairing AB-900 with hands-on experience is what turns the certificate into a career.