CompTIA A+ practice test 2026: Core 1 and Core 2, free

This free CompTIA A+-style practice test has 180 original questions: 90 for Core 1 (220-1201) and 90 for Core 2 (220-1202), each on a 90-minute clock like the real exams, with questions spread across the nine domains by CompTIA's published weights. You get a score for each core and each domain, because each core is a separate exam you must pass, and every answer is explained.

180
questions, both cores: 90 min
per core: 675 / 700
real passing scores (100-900): Free
no sign-up

Last checked 22 October 2026 · Exam facts from CompTIA's A+ pages and exam objectives

180
questions
180 min
time limit
Free
instant score

Two timed parts, each on its own clock: Core 1 (220-1201), 90 questions in 90 minutes, then Core 2 (220-1202), 90 questions in 90 minutes. A part's clock starts when you begin it, and you cannot go back to an earlier part.

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 22 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on this CompTIA A+ practice test?

Two timed parts, Core 1 and Core 2, each with 90 four-option questions in 90 minutes, weighted like the real exams: the more a domain counts on the exam, the more questions it gets here.

The nine A+ domains and their weights (CompTIA exam objectives)
Exam	Domain	Weight	What it covers
Core 1	Mobile Devices	13%	Laptop hardware, mobile displays, connections and accessories, mobile device management and synchronization
Core 1	Networking	23%	Ports and protocols, network hardware, Wi-Fi standards, addressing and subnets, network services and tools
Core 1	Hardware	25%	Cables and connectors, memory, storage and RAID, motherboards and CPUs, power supplies, printers
Core 1	Virtualization and Cloud Computing	11%	Cloud models and characteristics, client-side virtualization and hypervisors
Core 1	Hardware and Network Troubleshooting	28%	The troubleshooting method and the symptoms of failing hardware, displays, storage, mobile devices, printers and networks
Core 2	Operating Systems	28%	Windows editions, tools, commands and settings, file systems, installs and upgrades, macOS and Linux basics
Core 2	Security	28%	Physical and logical security, wireless security, malware, social engineering, data destruction, browser security
Core 2	Software Troubleshooting	23%	Windows, mobile app and security problems: symptoms and the first fix to try
Core 2	Operational Procedures	21%	Documentation, change management, backups, safety, environmental controls, privacy, professionalism and scripting basics

Most questions are scenario-based, the way the real exams are: a user reports a symptom, a manager wants a feature, a technician has done three steps and must choose the fourth. Others check facts you need on the job, such as which port a protocol uses or what a command does.

Ports, subnets, RAID capacity, power budgets and backup sets are generated with new numbers in every mock and computed, so you cannot memorize answers. Scenarios are written for this site. No two mocks repeat a question.

What this practice test copies, and what it does not
Parts	Core 1 and Core 2, each as its own timed part
Questions	90 per core, 180 in all, four options each, spread across the domains in proportion to CompTIA's weights
Clock	90 minutes per core, like the real exams
Not simulated	Performance-based questions and drag and drop. Practise hands-on tasks separately
Your result	Percent right per core and per domain, and a practice band. Not a CompTIA scaled score

Can I practise one A+ domain at a time?

Yes. Every domain has a free 12-question drill at exam pace, on the page for its area: Core 1, Core 2, networking, security and troubleshooting.

A+ Core 1 practice test
3 free drills
Mobile Devices, Hardware, and Virtualization and Cloud Computing.
A+ networking practice
1 free drill
Ports and protocols, addressing and subnets, Wi-Fi and network devices: 23% of Core 1.
A+ troubleshooting practice
2 free drills
Hardware and network troubleshooting (Core 1) and software troubleshooting (Core 2).
A+ Core 2 practice test
2 free drills
Operating Systems and Operational Procedures.
A+ security practice
1 free drill
Threats, controls, wireless security and data destruction: 28% of Core 2.

How do the real CompTIA A+ exams work?

They are two separate exams, each with up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, including performance-based tasks. Each is scored from 100 to 900, and you need 675 on Core 1 and 700 on Core 2; you must pass both for the certification.

The real exams, with where each fact comes from
Who sets it	CompTIA, Inc., a vendor-neutral IT certification bodyPublished by the ownerCompTIA, "CompTIA A+" certification page (exam details, passing scores)
Exams	Two: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). You need both, from the same series, for the certificationPublished by the ownerCompTIA, "CompTIA A+" certification page (exam details, passing scores)
Questions and time	Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes on each examPublished by the ownerCompTIA, "CompTIA A+" certification page (exam details, passing scores)
Question types	Multiple choice (single and multiple response), drag and drop, and performance-based questionsPublished by the ownerCompTIA, "CompTIA A+" certification page (exam details, passing scores)
Passing score	675 for Core 1 and 700 for Core 2, on a scale of 100 to 900Published by the ownerCompTIA, "CompTIA A+" certification page (exam details, passing scores)
Retakes	No wait before a second attempt; at least 14 days before a third or later one. Every attempt is paidPublished by the ownerCompTIA, "CompTIA certification retake policy"
Valid for	Three years, renewable through CompTIA's continuing education programPublished by the ownerCompTIA, "Certification renewal policy" (three-year continuing education cycle)

The two A+ exams (CompTIA)
Exam	Code	Questions	Time	Passing score
Core 1	220-1201	Up to 90	90 minutes	675 on a 100 to 900 scale
Core 2	220-1202	Up to 90	90 minutes	700 on a 100 to 900 scale

You can take the cores in either order and at different times. The CompTIA A+ exam guide covers booking, retakes and renewal, and A+ passing score explains why 700 is not 70%.

What do CompTIA A+ questions look like?

Mostly short scenarios with four options. Try the six below; two are worked step by step and the rest open when you tap.

CompTIA A+-style question 1 · Ports
Users can reach websites by IP address but not by name. A firewall change was made this morning. Which port was most likely blocked?
1. A53
2. B80
3. C443
4. D3389
Worked answer
A: 53. Name resolution uses DNS on port 53. Sites load by IP address, so web traffic (80 and 443) is getting through; only the name lookups are failing.
1. By IP works: the web ports are open.
2. By name fails: name resolution is broken.
3. Name resolution is DNS, port 53.
The trap: Choosing 443 because "websites" are failing. If HTTPS were blocked, the IP address would not work either.
CompTIA A+-style question 2 · RAID capacity
A technician builds a RAID 10 array from four 2 TB drives. About how much usable storage does the array provide?
1. A2 TB
2. B4 TB
3. C6 TB
4. D8 TB
Show the worked answer
B: 4 TB. RAID 10 stripes across mirrored pairs, so half the raw space holds copies: 4 × 2 TB = 8 TB raw, and half of that, 4 TB, is usable.
1. Raw space: 4 × 2 TB = 8 TB.
2. RAID 10 mirrors every drive, so usable space is half the raw space.
3. 8 TB ÷ 2 = 4 TB.
The trap: Answering 6 TB, which is RAID 5 (one drive's worth for parity). RAID 10 always gives half.
CompTIA A+-style question 3 · Printer symptoms
Pages from a laser printer come out with toner that smears or rubs off when touched. Which part is most likely failing?
1. AThe fuser
2. BThe pickup roller
3. CThe imaging drum
4. DThe network card
Show the worked answer
A: The fuser. The fuser melts toner onto the paper with heat and pressure. If it is not hot enough, the toner sits on the surface and smears.
1. Toner is on the page, so imaging and transfer worked.
2. It is not bonded, so the bonding step failed.
3. Bonding is the fuser's job.
The trap: Blaming the drum. A drum fault shows as repeating marks or lines, not toner that rubs off.
CompTIA A+-style question 4 · Data destruction
A company wants to donate laptops with solid-state drives and must make sure no data can be recovered, while keeping the drives usable. What should the technician do?
1. ADegauss the drives
2. BUse the drive's secure erase function
3. CDelete the user folders and empty the Recycle Bin
4. DRun a quick format
Worked answer
B: Use the drive's secure erase function. A secure erase (or a manufacturer sanitize command) clears every cell on an SSD, including spare areas, and leaves the drive reusable. Degaussing does not work on flash memory, and deleting or quick formatting leaves recoverable data.
1. The drives must stay usable, so physical destruction is out.
2. SSDs store data in flash, which degaussing does not affect.
3. A secure erase clears all cells and keeps the drive working.
The trap: Choosing degaussing. It wipes magnetic hard drives (and ruins them) but does nothing to an SSD.
CompTIA A+-style question 5 · Commands
Which Windows command checks a drive for file system errors and can fix them?
1. Asfc /scannow
2. Bchkdsk /f
3. Cdiskpart
4. Dformat
Show the worked answer
B: chkdsk /f. chkdsk checks a volume's file system, and /f tells it to fix errors. sfc repairs protected system files, a different job.
1. The task is the file system on a drive.
2. chkdsk checks disks; /f fixes errors.
3. sfc is for system files, not the disk.
The trap: Choosing sfc /scannow, which repairs Windows system files, not the file system on the disk.
CompTIA A+-style question 6 · Backups
A server gets a full backup every Sunday night and a differential backup every other night. It fails on Friday morning. Which backups are needed to restore it to Thursday night?
1. ASunday's full only
2. BSunday's full and Thursday's differential
3. CSunday's full and every differential from Monday to Thursday
4. DThursday's differential only
Show the worked answer
B: Sunday's full and Thursday's differential. A differential holds every change since the last full backup, so Thursday's differential already includes Monday to Wednesday. You need the full plus the latest differential.
1. Differential = all changes since the last full.
2. Thursday's differential covers Monday to Thursday.
3. Restore Sunday's full, then Thursday's differential.
The trap: Answering every backup since Sunday. That is the rule for incremental backups, which hold only the changes since the previous backup.

These were written for this page, so none of them is in a mock. More, each with its trap, are on CompTIA A+ sample questions.

After the free A+-style test

One mock shows your weakest domain in each core. Seven more, and four drills for each domain, prove it is fixed.

The CompTIA A+ Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 36 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The CompTIA A+ Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the A+ Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 36
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I read my A+ practice result?

You get the percent right on each core and each domain, and a practice band: Early practice, Building (55%+), Solid (70%+), Strong (80%+) or Top (90%+). We use 80% on each core as a safe practice target. None of this is a CompTIA score.

CompTIA weights questions and does not publish how many right answers make 675 or 700, so no practice test can convert a raw score into a scaled score honestly. Aiming for 80% on each core on our questions leaves a margin for harder questions and for the performance-based tasks we do not simulate.

Read each core on its own. A strong Core 1 does not help Core 2, which is a different exam with a different pass mark. Your result page names the weakest domain in each core and starts your study plan there.

What about performance-based questions?

The real exams include performance-based questions (PBQs): short simulations such as configuring a setting, matching cables to ports or ordering steps. We do not simulate them, so practise hands-on.

PBQs usually come first on the exam and can take a long time. Many candidates flag them, answer the multiple-choice questions, and come back with the time that is left. Whatever you do, do not let one PBQ eat 20 minutes.

The best preparation is real practice: build or take apart a PC, configure a home router, set up a virtual machine, and use the Windows and Linux command lines. The knowledge our questions test is what you need to do those tasks well.

Do A+ practice tests help you pass?

Yes, as long as you use them to find weak domains and learn the reason behind every miss; memorizing practice answers does not work, because the real questions are different.

A+ covers a lot of ground, and most people over-study what they already know. A timed test points at the domains that need work, and each explanation says why the right answer is right and the others are wrong, which is what lets you answer a question you have not seen. The full plan is in how to pass CompTIA A+.

If you are heading into help desk or field service work, employers may also ask for a WorkKeys certificate or a short aptitude test; the reasoning skills overlap.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real CompTIA A+ exam?

No. It is a CompTIA A+-style practice test with original questions. The real exams are delivered by CompTIA through its testing partner.

How many questions are on the A+ exams?

Up to 90 on each core, in 90 minutes.

What score do I need to pass A+?

675 on Core 1 and 700 on Core 2, on a 100 to 900 scale. See A+ passing score.

Do I have to take Core 1 first?

No. You can take them in either order, but you need both, from the same series, for the certification.

Does this cover the current exams?

Yes. The questions follow the domains and weights of the current 220-1201 and 220-1202 exams.

Is the practice test free?

Yes, with no sign-up, and every domain has a free drill. The Pass Pack, with seven more mocks, 36 drills and a study plan, is one payment.

Book both exams with confidence

Eight full A+-style mocks of both cores, four drills for each domain and every answer explained, in one payment with no subscription.