The AZ-900 exam: objectives, format and how to schedule it

AZ-900 exam objectives as of 20 July 2026

Microsoft’s study guide lists the AZ-900 exam objectives under three weighted skill areas. The weighting tells you how much of the exam each area makes up, so it is also a fair guide to how to split your study time.

• Describe cloud concepts — 25–30%
• Describe Azure architecture and services — 35–40%
• Describe Azure management and governance — 30–35%

Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. Checked 9 October 2026.

AZ-900 exam topics inside each skill area

Cloud concepts covers what cloud computing is, the shared responsibility model, public, private and hybrid cloud, the consumption-based model and pricing models, serverless, the benefits of the cloud (availability, scalability, reliability, predictability, security, governance and manageability), and the three service types IaaS, PaaS and SaaS with their use cases.

Azure architecture and services is the largest area. It covers regions, region pairs, sovereign regions, availability zones and datacenters; resources, resource groups, subscriptions and management groups; compute options such as virtual machines, scale sets, containers, functions and Azure Virtual Desktop; virtual networking including peering, Azure DNS, VPN Gateway and ExpressRoute; storage services, tiers, redundancy and migration tools; and identity and security, from Microsoft Entra ID and Conditional Access to RBAC, Zero Trust, defense in depth and Microsoft Defender for Cloud.

Azure management and governance covers cost factors, the pricing calculator, cost management and tags; Microsoft Purview, Azure Policy and resource locks; the portal, Cloud Shell, Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, Azure Arc, infrastructure as code and ARM templates; and monitoring with Azure Advisor, Azure Service Health and Azure Monitor.

Almost every one of these AZ-900 objectives begins with “describe”, “compare” or “identify”. The exam checks that you can recognise the right service or concept for a situation, not that you can configure it.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. Checked 9 October 2026.

What happens on exam day

Microsoft gives Fundamentals exams an exam duration of 45 minutes and recommends 65 minutes of seat time, which includes the instructions, accepting the candidate agreement and optional comments at the end. The exam is proctored and, according to Microsoft, may include interactive components.

Microsoft publishes no fixed question count for AZ-900. Its general guidance is that most Microsoft Certification exams contain between 40 and 60 questions, and that it does not identify question types in advance. Scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 1,000; 700 or greater is a pass.

If you do not pass, you can retake the exam 24 hours after the first attempt. The exam is offered in English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Spanish, German, French and several other languages listed on the certification page.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam duration and question types. Checked 9 October 2026.

Scheduling AZ-900: exam booking step by step

Scheduling the AZ-900 exam starts on Microsoft’s certification page, which has two schedule buttons: one for Pearson VUE, and one for Certiport if you are a student or an educator. You sign in with your Microsoft Learn profile, add your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID, fill in your contact details, and finish the booking on the provider’s site.

Microsoft sets two limits on your AZ-900 exam schedule: you can have at most two Microsoft Certification exams booked at the same time, and you cannot book more than 90 days ahead. To reschedule or cancel, go back to your Learn profile, where you can also start a scheduled online exam.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Register and schedule an exam. Checked 9 October 2026.

Online or at a test centre

When you schedule AZ-900 through Pearson VUE, you choose between an online exam at home or in your office and a test centre. Microsoft notes that online exams are available in most, but not all, countries and regions.

For the online exam, run Pearson VUE’s system test on the same computer, network and room you will use, and run it again on the day. Check-in opens 30 minutes before your appointment and closes 15 minutes after it, and Microsoft says the check-in process takes about 15 minutes. Online exams use facial comparison and recording; if you do not want that, Microsoft recommends a test centre.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Online exams with Pearson VUE. Checked 9 October 2026.

How long to study for AZ-900

Microsoft gives no official number of study hours for AZ-900. What it does publish are two reference points: its instructor-led course for the exam, AZ-900T00-A: Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure, is listed as one day, and the exam itself is 45 minutes on beginner-level material.

In practice, how long to study for AZ-900 depends on where you start. Someone who already works with another cloud mostly needs Azure’s names for familiar concepts; someone new to IT has to learn the concepts first. A practical way to decide when to book: work through the objectives above, then use practice questions until none of the three skill areas is a clear weak spot.

Source: Microsoft Learn — Azure Fundamentals certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

Getting ready with practice questions

Certsqill’s AZ-900 practice questions are expert-developed and organised along the same three skill areas. Every question explains each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per domain, so you can see which area to revisit before your exam date. Access comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

AZ-900 exam: questions people ask

What are the AZ-900 exam topics?

Three skill areas: describe cloud concepts (25–30%), describe Azure architecture and services (35–40%), and describe Azure management and governance (30–35%). Microsoft last revised them on 20 July 2026. Checked 9 October 2026.

Where do I find the official AZ-900 objectives?

In Microsoft’s study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals on Microsoft Learn, which lists every objective under the three skill areas.

Where is the AZ-900 schedule exam button?

On Microsoft’s Azure Fundamentals certification page, in the exam section: Pearson VUE for most candidates, Certiport for students and educators. You can book up to 90 days ahead. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 9 October 2026.

Can I change my AZ-900 exam schedule after booking?

Yes. Microsoft states that you can reschedule or cancel your appointment from your Microsoft Learn profile. Checked 9 October 2026.

How long is the AZ-900 exam?

45 minutes of exam time, with 65 minutes of seat time recommended for Fundamentals exams. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 9 October 2026.

How long should I study for AZ-900?

Microsoft publishes no study-hours figure. Its instructor-led AZ-900 course is listed as one day; beyond that, it depends on your prior IT and cloud experience.