CompTIAFoundational Level2026 Updated

CompTIA A+ Core 1 & Core 2 Exam Guide 2026: Everything You Need to Pass

Updated May 1, 202612 min readCertsqill Editorial

Quick facts — 220-1101 + 220-1102

Exam cost

$246 per exam ($492 total)

Questions

Up to 90 per exam

Time limit

90 minutes per exam

Passing score

675 / 900 (Core 1) · 700 / 900 (Core 2)

Valid for

3 years (CE)

Testing

Pearson VUE

Who this exam is for

The CompTIA A+ Core 1 & Core 2 certification is designed for professionals who work with or want to work with CompTIA technologies in a professional capacity. It is taken by cloud engineers, DevOps practitioners, IT administrators, and technical professionals looking to validate their expertise.

You do not need extensive prior experience to attempt it, but you will benefit from hands-on familiarity with the subject matter. The exam tests applied knowledge and architectural judgment, not just memorization. If you can reason about trade-offs and real-world scenarios, structured practice will handle the rest.

Domain breakdown

The 220-1101 + 220-1102 exam is built around official domains, each with a fixed percentage of the question pool. This distribution should directly inform how you allocate your study time.

Domain

Weight

Focus areas

Core 1: Mobile Devices

15%

Laptop hardware components (RAM, storage, display), mobile OS synchronization, connection types (USB-C, Thunderbolt, Lightning), and common laptop repair procedures.

Core 1: Networking

20%

TCP/IP basics (IPv4/IPv6 addressing, DHCP, DNS), port numbers, wireless standards (802.11ax), cable types (Cat5e/6, fiber), network hardware (router, switch, AP), configuring SOHO networks.

Core 1: Hardware

25%

PC components (CPU, RAM, storage, PSU, motherboard form factors), peripherals, storage types (SSD, HDD, NVMe, M.2), RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 10), printers (inkjet, laser, thermal, impact).

Core 1: Virtualization & Cloud

11%

Hypervisor types (Type 1 vs Type 2), virtual machine resource allocation, cloud models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), cloud characteristics, and client-side virtualization use cases.

Core 2: Operating Systems

27%

Windows OS installation (upgrade vs clean install, editions), command-line tools (dir, ipconfig, ping, netstat, sfc, chkdsk, diskpart), Linux/macOS basics, OS troubleshooting.

Core 2: Security

24%

Social engineering attacks (phishing, vishing, shoulder surfing), malware types and removal, wireless security (WPA2/WPA3), BIOS/UEFI security, BitLocker, data destruction methods.

Note the domain with the highest weight — many candidates under-invest here because it feels conceptual. In practice, this is where the exam is most precise, with scenario-based questions that test specifics.

What the exam actually tests

This is not a memorization exam. Questions require applied judgment under constraints. Almost every question includes a scenario with explicit requirements and asks you to select the most appropriate solution.

Here are examples of the question types you will encounter:

Component identification

"A technician is upgrading RAM in a laptop. The current module is DDR4 SO-DIMM. Which memory type should be used as a replacement?"

Tests hardware knowledge: know the difference between DIMM (desktop) and SO-DIMM (laptop), DDR3 vs DDR4 vs DDR5 compatibility, and why RAM must match the existing specification.

Troubleshooting scenarios

"A user reports that their Windows PC displays a BSOD with IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL after installing new RAM. What is the most likely cause and first troubleshooting step?"

BSOD stop codes indicate specific failure types. IRQL errors often point to driver conflicts or faulty RAM. Troubleshooting methodology (identify → test → fix → document) is the core skill tested.

Security incident response

"A user reports that their computer is sending spam emails without their knowledge. The antivirus scan found nothing. What should the technician do next?"

Tests malware remediation procedure: disconnect from network → boot to safe mode → run offline scan → check startup programs → consider reimaging. The correct step sequence matters.

How to prepare — 4-week study plan

This plan assumes one hour per weekday and roughly 30 minutes of lighter review on weekends. It is calibrated for someone with some relevant experience. If you are starting from zero, add an extra week before Week 1 to familiarise yourself with the basics.

Week 1: Core 1: Hardware + Networking

PC components: study each component (CPU, GPU, RAM, motherboard, PSU) and its function
RAID levels: memorize 0 (striping), 1 (mirroring), 5 (striping with parity), 10 (mirror+stripe)
Networking: TCP/IP fundamentals, common port numbers, Wi-Fi standards (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
20 Core 1 hardware and networking questions daily

Week 2: Core 1: Full domain review + First mock

Mobile devices: laptop hardware, screen types (IPS vs TN vs OLED), connector types
Cloud models: IaaS/PaaS/SaaS definitions, public/private/hybrid/community clouds
Virtualization: Type 1 (bare-metal) vs Type 2 (hosted) hypervisors, VM snapshots
Full Core 1 timed mock exam — review every wrong answer before moving on

Week 3: Core 2: OS + Command Line

Windows editions: Home vs Pro vs Enterprise features (BitLocker, domain join, Group Policy)
Command line: ipconfig /all, ping -t, netstat -an, sfc /scannow, chkdsk /f — practice each
Linux basics: ls, cd, pwd, chmod, sudo, apt-get — enough to answer scenario questions
OS troubleshooting: Task Manager, Event Viewer, System Configuration (msconfig), Registry Editor

Week 4: Core 2: Security + Second mock

Malware types: virus vs worm vs ransomware vs spyware vs rootkit — know the difference
Malware removal: run in safe mode, use Malwarebytes, check startup items, consider reimaging
Physical security: cable locks, biometrics, smart cards, multifactor authentication
Full Core 2 timed mock exam — aim for 75%+ on both exams before booking

Common mistakes candidates make

These patterns appear repeatedly among candidates who resit this exam. Knowing them in advance is worth several percentage points.

Underestimating the breadth of hardware knowledge

A+ Core 1 covers everything from laptop screen replacement to RAID configurations to printer types. Candidates who focus only on networking and ignore hardware topics lose a significant number of marks. Build a physical or virtual PC teardown checklist and study each component.

Not practicing Windows command-line tools

Core 2 has heavy command-line coverage (ipconfig, ping, netstat, sfc, diskpart, etc.). Candidates who cannot remember flags or output formats lose easy marks. Practice each command on a real Windows machine until the syntax is automatic.

Treating security as a secondary topic

Security is 24% of Core 2 — a quarter of one of the two exams. Social engineering, malware types, wireless security protocols (WPA2 vs WPA3, CCMP vs GCMP), and data destruction methods all appear with regularity. Study security as its own full subject.

Taking both exams without a gap

A+ requires passing Core 1 and Core 2. Some candidates book both on the same day. After the mental effort of Core 1, cognitive fatigue affects Core 2 performance. Book exams at least 2–3 days apart, and ensure Core 1 preparation is complete before scheduling Core 2.

Is Certsqill right for you?

Honestly: Certsqill is built for candidates who have already done some studying and want to convert knowledge into exam performance. If you have never touched the subject, start with a foundational course first — then come to Certsqill when you are ready to practice.

Where Certsqill is strong: question depth, expert-developed explanations, and domain analytics. Every question is mapped to the exam blueprint. When you get something wrong, a detailed explanation shows why the right answer is right and why each wrong answer fails under the specific constraints in the question.

Where Certsqill is not a replacement: video courses and hands-on labs. Use Certsqill to test and sharpen — not as your first exposure to a topic you have never encountered.

Ready to start practicing?

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