CompTIA A+ Certification Exam 2026
Comprehensive Study Guide with Practice
Questions Core Objectives Review • Verified
Answers • Success Workbook
EXAM OVERVIEW
The CompTIA A+ certification requires passing two separate exams: Core 1 (220-
1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) . Each exam consists of up to 90 questions (multiple-
choice and performance-based) with a 90-minute time limit. Core 1 passing score
is 675/900, and Core 2 is 700/900.
Core 1 (220-1101) Domains & Weights:
Domain Weight
1.0 Mobile Devices 15%
2.0 Networking 20%
3.0 Hardware 25%
4.0 Virtualization & Cloud Computing 11%
5.0 Hardware & Network Troubleshooting 29%
Core 2 (220-1102) Domains & Weights:
Domain Weight
1.0 Operating Systems 31%
,Domain Weight
2.0 Security 25%
3.0 Software Troubleshooting 22%
4.0 Operational Procedures 22%
CORE 1 (220-1101) PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Domain 1.0: Mobile Devices (15%)
Question 1
A technician is replacing a laptop LCD screen. The replacement screen has a matte
finish that reduces glare, but the original screen was glossy. Which of the
following screen technologies is the technician MOST likely installing?
A. TN (Twisted Nematic)
B. IPS (In-Plane Switching)
C. OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)
D. Anti-glare coated display
Answer: D. Anti-glare coated display
Rationale: Anti-glare coatings create a matte finish that diffuses reflected light,
reducing glare and making the screen more viewable in bright environments.
Glossy screens (non-coated) provide more vibrant colors but suffer from
reflections. TN, IPS, and OLED refer to the underlying display technology, not the
surface finish—all can be manufactured with either glossy or matte coatings. The
question specifically describes the visual finish characteristic, making D the correct
answer.
Question 2
A user reports that their laptop battery drains significantly faster than when the
,device was new. The battery health utility reports 65% of original capacity
remaining. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action?
A. Replace the laptop battery
B. Calibrate the battery
C. Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
D. Reduce screen brightness
Answer: A. Replace the laptop battery
Rationale: Lithium-ion batteries have a finite number of charge cycles and
naturally degrade over time. When a battery health utility reports capacity below
approximately 70-80% of original, replacement is the appropriate solution.
Calibration (B) helps the OS accurately report remaining charge but does not
restore lost capacity. Disabling features (C, D) can extend per-charge runtime but
do not address the underlying capacity loss.
Question 3
A technician needs to connect a new laptop to an external monitor. The laptop has
a USB-C port that supports video output. The external monitor has only HDMI
input. Which of the following would enable this connection?
A. USB-C to HDMI adapter
B. USB-C to DisplayPort cable
C. HDMI to VGA adapter
D. USB-C to Ethernet adapter
Answer: A. USB-C to HDMI adapter
Rationale: USB-C ports that support DisplayPort Alt Mode can output video
signals. A USB-C to HDMI adapter converts the DisplayPort signal (carried over
USB-C) to HDMI format compatible with the monitor. Option B would connect to
a DisplayPort monitor (not HDMI). Option C converts HDMI to VGA, which is
the wrong direction and doesn't address the USB-C source. Option D is for
networking, not video.
Question 4
An Android user wants to synchronize contacts, calendar events, and photos
, between their phone and a cloud service automatically. Which of the following
built-in Google services provides this functionality?
A. Google Drive
B. Google Photos
C. Google Account sync
D. Google Play Services
Answer: C. Google Account sync
Rationale: Google Account synchronization is the integrated service that
automatically syncs contacts, calendar, app data, and other settings between an
Android device and Google's cloud servers. Google Drive (A) is primarily for file
storage. Google Photos (B) handles only photo/video backup. Google Play
Services (D) provides APIs and core functionality but does not directly manage
account sync.
Question 5
A technician is configuring a laptop docking station for a user who needs to
connect two external monitors, a wired network connection, and a USB keyboard.
Which of the following docking station connection methods would provide the
BEST performance for all these peripherals simultaneously?
A. USB 2.0
B. USB 3.0
C. Thunderbolt 3
D. Bluetooth
Answer: C. Thunderbolt 3
Rationale: Thunderbolt 3 provides up to 40 Gbps bandwidth, sufficient to support
dual high-resolution monitors, Gigabit Ethernet, and multiple USB devices
simultaneously with minimal latency. USB 3.0 (B) at 5 Gbps may struggle with
dual monitors. USB 2.0 (A) at 480 Mbps is insufficient for video. Bluetooth (D) is
wireless and not suitable for docking stations requiring multiple high-bandwidth
connections.
Domain 2.0: Networking (20%)
Comprehensive Study Guide with Practice
Questions Core Objectives Review • Verified
Answers • Success Workbook
EXAM OVERVIEW
The CompTIA A+ certification requires passing two separate exams: Core 1 (220-
1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) . Each exam consists of up to 90 questions (multiple-
choice and performance-based) with a 90-minute time limit. Core 1 passing score
is 675/900, and Core 2 is 700/900.
Core 1 (220-1101) Domains & Weights:
Domain Weight
1.0 Mobile Devices 15%
2.0 Networking 20%
3.0 Hardware 25%
4.0 Virtualization & Cloud Computing 11%
5.0 Hardware & Network Troubleshooting 29%
Core 2 (220-1102) Domains & Weights:
Domain Weight
1.0 Operating Systems 31%
,Domain Weight
2.0 Security 25%
3.0 Software Troubleshooting 22%
4.0 Operational Procedures 22%
CORE 1 (220-1101) PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Domain 1.0: Mobile Devices (15%)
Question 1
A technician is replacing a laptop LCD screen. The replacement screen has a matte
finish that reduces glare, but the original screen was glossy. Which of the
following screen technologies is the technician MOST likely installing?
A. TN (Twisted Nematic)
B. IPS (In-Plane Switching)
C. OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)
D. Anti-glare coated display
Answer: D. Anti-glare coated display
Rationale: Anti-glare coatings create a matte finish that diffuses reflected light,
reducing glare and making the screen more viewable in bright environments.
Glossy screens (non-coated) provide more vibrant colors but suffer from
reflections. TN, IPS, and OLED refer to the underlying display technology, not the
surface finish—all can be manufactured with either glossy or matte coatings. The
question specifically describes the visual finish characteristic, making D the correct
answer.
Question 2
A user reports that their laptop battery drains significantly faster than when the
,device was new. The battery health utility reports 65% of original capacity
remaining. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action?
A. Replace the laptop battery
B. Calibrate the battery
C. Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
D. Reduce screen brightness
Answer: A. Replace the laptop battery
Rationale: Lithium-ion batteries have a finite number of charge cycles and
naturally degrade over time. When a battery health utility reports capacity below
approximately 70-80% of original, replacement is the appropriate solution.
Calibration (B) helps the OS accurately report remaining charge but does not
restore lost capacity. Disabling features (C, D) can extend per-charge runtime but
do not address the underlying capacity loss.
Question 3
A technician needs to connect a new laptop to an external monitor. The laptop has
a USB-C port that supports video output. The external monitor has only HDMI
input. Which of the following would enable this connection?
A. USB-C to HDMI adapter
B. USB-C to DisplayPort cable
C. HDMI to VGA adapter
D. USB-C to Ethernet adapter
Answer: A. USB-C to HDMI adapter
Rationale: USB-C ports that support DisplayPort Alt Mode can output video
signals. A USB-C to HDMI adapter converts the DisplayPort signal (carried over
USB-C) to HDMI format compatible with the monitor. Option B would connect to
a DisplayPort monitor (not HDMI). Option C converts HDMI to VGA, which is
the wrong direction and doesn't address the USB-C source. Option D is for
networking, not video.
Question 4
An Android user wants to synchronize contacts, calendar events, and photos
, between their phone and a cloud service automatically. Which of the following
built-in Google services provides this functionality?
A. Google Drive
B. Google Photos
C. Google Account sync
D. Google Play Services
Answer: C. Google Account sync
Rationale: Google Account synchronization is the integrated service that
automatically syncs contacts, calendar, app data, and other settings between an
Android device and Google's cloud servers. Google Drive (A) is primarily for file
storage. Google Photos (B) handles only photo/video backup. Google Play
Services (D) provides APIs and core functionality but does not directly manage
account sync.
Question 5
A technician is configuring a laptop docking station for a user who needs to
connect two external monitors, a wired network connection, and a USB keyboard.
Which of the following docking station connection methods would provide the
BEST performance for all these peripherals simultaneously?
A. USB 2.0
B. USB 3.0
C. Thunderbolt 3
D. Bluetooth
Answer: C. Thunderbolt 3
Rationale: Thunderbolt 3 provides up to 40 Gbps bandwidth, sufficient to support
dual high-resolution monitors, Gigabit Ethernet, and multiple USB devices
simultaneously with minimal latency. USB 3.0 (B) at 5 Gbps may struggle with
dual monitors. USB 2.0 (A) at 480 Mbps is insufficient for video. Bluetooth (D) is
wireless and not suitable for docking stations requiring multiple high-bandwidth
connections.
Domain 2.0: Networking (20%)
