CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) practice exam & study guide

CompTIA describes A+ as validating the skills to install, configure, and troubleshoot end-user devices and basic networks. Core 1 focuses on the physical and connectivity side: laptop and mobile hardware, networking hardware and protocols, PC components, cloud and virtualization concepts, and troubleshooting.

It blends multiple-choice with performance-based questions (PBQs) that drop you into a simulated task. It is genuinely entry level, but broad — you must recognise ports and connectors, RAM and storage types, and follow a structured troubleshooting method.

Core 1 is entry level but broad, and its performance-based questions plus the volume of hardware and networking facts (ports, connectors, RAM and storage types) make it more demanding than it first appears.

The two challenges are memorising the networking ports and protocols and applying the troubleshooting methodology under time pressure. Practising PBQs and timed question sets is the most effective preparation.

The Core 1 exam contains a maximum of 90 questions and allows 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice with performance-based questions (interactive simulated tasks). You must also pass Core 2 to earn the A+ certification.

Our full-length practice mock mirrors that scale with a 90-question, 90-minute session so you can rehearse the one-minute-per-question pace and build stamina.

CompTIA scores Core 1 on a scale of 100 to 900, and you need 675 to pass. Because it is scaled, questions are not all worth the same, and there is no penalty for guessing, so you should answer everything. Our practice mock uses a 75% threshold as a study checkpoint; aim comfortably beyond it before test day.

A CompTIA A+ voucher is priced per exam by CompTIA and varies by region, with discounted bundles that include both cores and study material. The A+ certification is valid for three years and can be renewed through CompTIA’s continuing-education programme. Every resource on this hub is free.

A+ Core 1 is aimed at people starting an IT-support career — help-desk technicians, field-service technicians, desktop-support staff, and anyone entering IT operations.

CompTIA lists no formal prerequisites, though it recommends around 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience. Motivated beginners pass it with disciplined study, especially on the hardware and networking facts.

A+ is relevant to roles such as help-desk technician, desktop-support technician, field-service technician, and junior systems administrator, and it appears frequently in entry-level IT-support job postings.

How much any certification moves compensation depends heavily on geography and experience, so treat any single salary figure with caution. A+ is best viewed as a way to demonstrate broad entry-level IT competence rather than a guaranteed raise on its own.

Plan for several weeks to a few months depending on your background, studying Core 1 and Core 2 either together or one at a time. Spend the early weeks building coverage across the five Core 1 domains, then commit the back half to practice questions and full timed mocks including PBQ practice.

A good rhythm is to study one domain at a time and take its topic quiz immediately, then move to full-length mocks in the final stretch — reviewing every explanation, including for questions you answered correctly, because A+ distractors are built from realistic mistakes. Use the per-domain results here to find your weakest area.

Study the five domains above, giving the most time to Hardware, Networking, and Troubleshooting, then drill practice questions domain by domain. Every MockAPI question reveals a detailed explanation and a per-option breakdown of why each distractor is wrong.

Once your domain scores are solid, sit full-length timed mocks to build pacing and stamina, and treat the performance-based questions as a distinct skill to rehearse. Use the glossary to nail terminology, and remember you must pass Core 2 as well to earn the A+.

Yes. CompTIA delivers A+ through Pearson VUE, so you can test at a physical Pearson VUE centre or online with remote proctoring. The online exam has strict environment rules: a private, quiet room, a clear desk, 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, CompTIA lets you retake a second time immediately with no wait, but a third or later attempt requires a 14-day wait, and every attempt needs its own voucher. Core 1 and Core 2 must be from the same exam version.

After passing both Core 1 and Core 2 to earn the A+, the natural next step is CompTIA Network+ for deeper networking, followed by Security+ for security fundamentals — the classic CompTIA infrastructure pathway.

From there you can branch into networking, security, or systems-administration tracks with other vendors. Pairing A+ with hands-on support experience is what turns a certificate into a career.