The CompTIA A+ is the certification that launches most IT careers, and learning how to pass CompTIA A+ in 2026 now means studying for the V15 exams: 220-1201 (Core 1) and 220-1202 (Core 2). These two exams replaced the old 220-1101 and 220-1102, which retired on 25 September 2025, so any plan built on the previous objectives is already out of date.
This guide gives you a realistic 8-week study plan to pass both A+ exams on the current objectives, plus the exam facts you need before you book. If you are coming in with some hands-on tech exposure and you can commit to roughly 8 to 10 hours a week, eight weeks is enough to walk into both exams prepared. Complete beginners should treat this as a 10 to 12 week plan and simply spread the same stages out.
CompTIA A+ 220-1201 and 220-1202 at a Glance
A+ is the only CompTIA certification that requires you to pass two separate exams. You can sit them on different days, and most people take Core 1 first, then Core 2 a few weeks later. You only hold the certification once both are passed.
Here are the facts that matter for 2026:
| Detail | Core 1 (220-1201) | Core 2 (220-1202) |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum questions | 90 | 90 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 675 out of 900 | 700 out of 900 |
| Question types | Multiple choice, drag and drop, performance-based | Multiple choice, drag and drop, performance-based |
| Cost (each) | 253 USD | 253 USD |
| Launched | 25 March 2025 | 25 March 2025 |
Exam Tip: The two exams have different pass marks. Core 1 needs 675 out of 900 and Core 2 needs 700 out of 900, so do not assume the same target for both. Aim for a consistent 85 percent on practice tests to give yourself margin.
The total cost for both exams is 506 USD at standard pricing, before any voucher or bundle. The certification is valid for three years and renews through CompTIA's continuing education (CE) programme, so you do not have to resit the exams to stay current.
What is new in the V15 objectives
The 220-1201 and 220-1202 update is not cosmetic. CompTIA refreshed the content to reflect the hardware and software people actually support now. Expect stronger coverage of Windows 11, current macOS and Linux awareness, NVMe SSDs, DDR5 memory, USB-C and Thunderbolt, more wireless and virtualization, tighter endpoint security, and basic AI literacy. If your textbook still talks mainly about Windows 10 and SATA drives, it is built for the retired version.
Core 1 (220-1201): Domains and Weightings
Core 1 is the hardware, networking and troubleshooting exam. The five domains are weighted like this:
- Hardware and Network Troubleshooting: 28 percent
- Hardware: 25 percent
- Networking: 23 percent
- Mobile Devices: 13 percent
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing: 11 percent
More than half of Core 1 sits in Hardware and Network Troubleshooting plus Hardware. Those two domains are where your marks live, so they get the most time in the plan below.
Core 2 (220-1202): Domains and Weightings
Core 2 is the operating systems, security and procedures exam. Its four domains are weighted like this:
- Operating Systems: 28 percent
- Security: 28 percent
- Software Troubleshooting: 23 percent
- Operational Procedures: 21 percent
Exam Tip: Security and Operating Systems together make up well over half of Core 2. Command-line tools, Windows settings, malware removal steps and account security come up again and again, so do not treat Operational Procedures as filler. Safety, documentation and communication questions are easy marks if you have read them once.
The 8-Week CompTIA A+ Study Plan
This plan front-loads Core 1 (weeks 1 to 4), then moves to Core 2 (weeks 5 to 7), with a final consolidation week. The idea is to sit Core 1 around the end of week 4 or start of week 5, then Core 2 at the end of week 8. Adjust the booking dates to suit you, but keep the study order.
For each week, pair one learning resource (a video course or book) with active recall. Watching alone does not pass A+. You need to retire the facts into memory with practice questions and hands-on repetition.
Week 1: Hardware foundations (Core 1)
Start with the physical machine. Learn motherboards, CPUs, RAM types (DDR4 and DDR5), storage (HDD, SATA SSD, NVMe), power supplies and cooling. Get comfortable identifying connectors and cables: USB-C, Thunderbolt, HDMI, DisplayPort and the legacy ports A+ still tests.
Hands-on: open a desktop if you have one, or use a PC-building simulator, and name every component out loud. A+ rewards people who have touched the hardware.
Week 2: Mobile devices and laptops (Core 1)
Cover laptop components, display types, mobile device features and mobile device management (MDM). Learn the synchronisation, biometrics and remote-wipe concepts CompTIA likes to test. This is a smaller domain at 13 percent, so keep it tight and move on.
Hands-on: go through the settings on your own phone and laptop and map what you see to the objective terms.
Week 3: Networking (Core 1)
Networking is 23 percent of Core 1, so give it a full week. Learn IP addressing, common ports and protocols (such as 80, 443, 22, 53 and 3389), TCP versus UDP, routers, switches, access points and wireless standards. Ports and protocols are pure memorisation, so build a flashcard deck on day one and review it daily.
Hands-on: log into a home router admin page and look at DHCP, port forwarding and wireless settings.
Week 4: Virtualization, cloud and Core 1 troubleshooting
Cover virtualization and cloud computing (11 percent), then spend most of the week on Hardware and Network Troubleshooting, the single biggest Core 1 domain at 28 percent. Learn CompTIA's six-step troubleshooting methodology and practise applying it to dead machines, no-display faults, overheating and network drops.
End of week 4: take a full timed Core 1 practice exam. If you are scoring 85 percent or above, book and sit 220-1201. If not, give it a few more days on your weak domains.
Week 5: Operating systems (Core 2)
Switch to Core 2. Operating Systems is 28 percent, so this is a heavy week. Focus on Windows 11 and Windows 10 features, editions, installation and the command line. Know
ipconfigpingnetstatchkdsksfcgpupdateHands-on: install a virtual machine in VirtualBox or Hyper-V and practise the commands rather than just reading them.
Week 6: Security (Core 2)
Security is the other 28 percent domain. Cover malware types and the malware removal process in order, social engineering attacks, authentication, multi-factor authentication, wireless security, and workstation and mobile hardening. The malware removal steps and the difference between attack types are reliable exam questions.
Hands-on: review the security settings on a Windows machine, including Windows Defender, firewall rules and user account controls.
Week 7: Software troubleshooting and operational procedures (Core 2)
Cover Software Troubleshooting (23 percent): common OS, application and mobile issues, plus the steps to resolve them. Then Operational Procedures (21 percent): safety, environmental controls, documentation, change management, backups, and professional communication. These procedural questions are some of the easiest marks on the whole certification, so do not skip them.
End of week 7: take a full timed Core 2 practice exam.
Week 8: Consolidation and exam
Spend the final week reviewing missed questions, drilling flashcards (ports, commands, acronyms) and taking one or two more full-length Core 2 practice exams. Once you are consistently at 85 percent or above, book and sit 220-1202. Passing it earns you the certification.
How Long Does It Really Take to Pass A+?
Eight weeks is realistic if you already have some IT exposure and study around 8 to 10 hours a week. The honest ranges look like this:
| Starting point | Weekly study | Time to both exams |
|---|---|---|
| Already working in IT | 6 to 8 hours | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Some tech hobby experience | 8 to 10 hours | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Complete beginner | 10 to 15 hours | 3 to 6 months |
The single biggest cause of slow progress is passive studying. Watching videos feels productive, but it does not move facts into long-term memory. The candidates who pass fastest test themselves constantly, which is why practice questions belong in your routine from week 1, not week 8.
Common Mistakes That Fail First-Time Candidates
- Studying the wrong version. Make sure every resource maps to 220-1201 and 220-1202, not the retired 220-1101 and 220-1102.
- Skipping the performance-based questions. PBQs sit at the start of the exam and eat time. Practise them so they do not rattle you. Our guide on why most people fail certification exams covers the time-management traps in detail.
- Memorising without understanding. A+ asks you to apply troubleshooting steps to scenarios, not just recall definitions.
- Booking too early or too late. Use your practice-exam scores as the signal. Consistent 85 percent means book it. Endless studying past that point wastes momentum.
Is CompTIA A+ Worth It in 2026?
For anyone targeting a help desk, desktop support, field technician or junior IT role, A+ remains the most widely recognised entry credential, and it is the first leg of the classic CompTIA trifecta. If you are weighing the bigger picture, our breakdown of whether the CompTIA trifecta is still worth it in 2026 puts A+, Network+ and Security+ in context. Once A+ is done, Network+ is the natural next step, and our Network+ N10-009 study plan follows the same structure as this one.
Ready to Start Practising?
The fastest way to pass both A+ exams is to make active recall the centre of your study, not an afterthought. CertCrush gives you realistic CompTIA A+ practice questions and performance-based scenarios built for the current 220-1201 and 220-1202 objectives, so you always know whether you are exam-ready before you book.
Create your free CertCrush account and start working through A+ practice questions today, or browse the full range of certification courses to map out your path from A+ to your next cert. Study actively, hit 85 percent consistently, and both A+ exams become a formality.