CompTIA · 220-1201
CompTIA A+ Core 1 practice exams
CompTIA's entry-level hardware and networking exam — the first half of the A+ pair, and most people's first IT certification.
Or read 15 sample questions with answers.
Try a real 220-1201 question
A user reports that the top-row keys on their laptop now change brightness and volume when pressed. They must hold the Fn key to get F1–F12, and they want plain F1–F12 back as the default. What should the technician check first?
About the 220-1201 exam
CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) validates the foundational hardware, networking, and troubleshooting skills expected of a working IT support technician: mobile devices, networking basics, hardware installation and configuration, virtualization and cloud concepts, and hardware/network troubleshooting.
A+ is officially two exams — Core 1 and Core 2 — and both must be passed to earn the certification. Core 1 is the more hands-on, hardware-facing half; Core 2 (a separate CertRidge exam) covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. Questions mix straight recall with 'a user reports this symptom, what's the likely cause' scenarios.
The real exam
Public information published by CompTIA. A CertRidge practice exam matches this format — it is not a copy of the exam's contents.
- Format
- Up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based) in 90 minutes. Delivered at a Pearson VUE test centre or online with a proctor.
- Cost
- Approximately 265 USD per exam — both Core 1 and Core 2 must be passed for the full certification — before regional pricing and taxes.
- Scoring
- Scored on a 100–900 scale; 675 is the passing mark for Core 1. CompTIA does not publish the exact question-to-scale conversion.
- Validity
- Valid for 3 years; renewed through CompTIA's continuing-education programme or by passing a higher-level exam.
Practice by exam domain
CertRidge practice exams draw questions in these same proportions, from a bank of 559 220-1201 questions. Open a domain for what it covers and free questions with answers.
Who it's for
- People starting a first IT support, help-desk, or field-technician role who need the industry-standard entry credential
- Career-changers building toward more advanced certifications (Network+, Security+) that assume this baseline
- Anyone who repairs, configures, or supports end-user hardware and wants a recognised credential to show for it
How to prepare
- Weight your study time like the real exam does — Hardware and Network Troubleshooting is the largest domain at 28%, Hardware itself next at 25%.
- Know cable and connector types on sight (and what they're for): USB-C vs. Thunderbolt, DisplayPort vs. HDMI, Cat 5e vs. Cat 6, fiber connector types.
- Be able to walk through a laptop or desktop teardown order and name every internal component by function, not just by name.
- Practise the troubleshooting methodology itself — identify the problem, establish a theory, test it, plan and implement a solution, verify, document — since several questions test the process, not just the fix.
See the free 220-1201 cheat sheet for a one-page domain summary, the 220-1201 study guide for how to plan your preparation, and the content policy for how these questions are written.
Free 220-1201 practice resources
- 15 free 220-1201 practice questionsSpread across every domain, each with the answer and an explanation for every option.
- Free 10-question diagnosticA quick, scored check of where you stand, with no account needed.
- 220-1201 cheat sheetThe domains and the facts that come up most, on one page.
- 220-1201 study guideHow to plan your preparation, week by week.
220-1201 questions, answered
- How much does the 220-1201 exam cost?
- Approximately 265 USD per exam — both Core 1 and Core 2 must be passed for the full certification — before regional pricing and taxes.
- What is the 220-1201 passing score?
- Scored on a 100–900 scale; 675 is the passing mark for Core 1. CompTIA does not publish the exact question-to-scale conversion.
- How many questions are on the 220-1201 exam?
- Up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based) in 90 minutes. Delivered at a Pearson VUE test centre or online with a proctor.
- How long is the 220-1201 certification valid?
- Valid for 3 years; renewed through CompTIA's continuing-education programme or by passing a higher-level exam.
- Where can I practise 220-1201 questions for free?
- CertRidge has a free 10-question 220-1201 diagnostic with every answer explained, no account needed, and 15 free sample questions with answers at certridge.com/certifications/comptia-a-plus-core-1/practice-questions. All questions are original, written to the published exam objectives.