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Free CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 Practice Test

Answer 25 original questions across all five A+ Core 1 domains. Get your score, a domain-by-domain breakdown, explanations for every answer, and links to authoritative references.

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A blueprint-weighted sample of the current 220-1201 objectives

The test covers Mobile Devices; Networking; Hardware; Virtualization and Cloud Computing; and Hardware and Network Troubleshooting. Questions come from CertFlashCards' reviewed 220-1201 practice form and do not use recalled certification-exam content.

Reviewed September 2026

25-question practice test

Test your A+ Core 1 readiness

Choose one answer for each question. Submit whenever you are ready; unanswered questions count as incorrect.

0of 25 answered

Question 1 of 25Mobile Devices · Intermediate
A phone battery is swollen and lifting the display. What should the technician do first?
Choose one answer for question 1APlace the powered-off phone in a cool work area and continue using it only for brief data-recovery sessionsBPower off the device, stop charging it, and follow approved battery handling proceduresCPress the display assembly back into its frame before arranging battery serviceDDischarge the battery completely through normal use before following the approved replacement procedure
Question 2 of 25Mobile Devices · Beginner
Which mobile technology is designed for a tap-style exchange over a very short distance?
Choose one answer for question 2A5G cellularBSatellite GPSCNFCDEthernet over fiber
Question 3 of 25Mobile Devices · Intermediate
A company must enforce screen locks and remotely remove business data from lost phones. Which capability best meets the requirement?
Choose one answer for question 3AA remote-access application that can locate the phone but cannot enforce configuration or remove managed dataBA consumer backup account that copies user files without applying enterprise device policiesCA carrier account portal used to suspend cellular service but not manage applications or business dataDMobile device management
Question 4 of 25Networking · Intermediate
Why is UDP commonly used for real-time voice traffic?
Choose one answer for question 4AIt guarantees ordered deliveryBIt establishes a reliable session before sending dataCIt automatically encrypts all voice trafficDIt avoids retransmission delays when timely delivery matters more than recovering every packet
Question 5 of 25Networking · Intermediate
Two nearby access points use overlapping 2.4 GHz channels and clients experience poor throughput. What should be adjusted first?
Choose one answer for question 5AMove both access points to the same non-overlapping channel so clients see one consistent channelBIncrease both access points to maximum channel widthCUse a channel plan that minimizes co-channel and adjacent-channel interferenceDRaise transmit power on both access points to overcome contention without changing their channels
Question 6 of 25Networking · Beginner
A user's hostname lookup fails, but connecting to the server by IP address works. Which service is most likely failing?
Choose one answer for question 6ADHCP lease renewal onlyBPrint spoolingCNTP hardwareDDNS
Question 7 of 25Networking · Intermediate
A Windows client assigns itself an address in 169.254.0.0/16. What does this most strongly indicate?
Choose one answer for question 7ADNS successfully resolved every nameBThe default gateway assigned a public addressCThe client could not obtain an IPv4 lease from DHCPDThe client joined a VLAN successfully
Question 8 of 25Networking · Intermediate
A café wants customer Wi-Fi to use the same internet connection as its point-of-sale network. Which router configuration best separates the two traffic groups while keeping both online?
Choose one answer for question 8APlace both groups in one subnet and use different SSID names while leaving local forwarding unchangedBGive customer devices static addresses inside the point-of-sale scope so DHCP leases cannot overlapCBridge the customer radio directly to the business switch and rely on device hostnames to identify trafficDCreate separate customer and business network segments, assign each its own IP scope, and permit only the customer segment's outbound internet traffic
Question 9 of 25Networking · Beginner
Which tool verifies wire-map faults such as opens, shorts, and reversed pairs in a copper Ethernet cable?
Choose one answer for question 9AWi-Fi analyzerBCable testerCLoopback plug for videoDTone generator by itself
Question 10 of 25Hardware · Intermediate
A technician is comparing two laptop replacement panels of the same size and resolution. One is an LCD panel and the other is an OLED panel. Which statement correctly describes a structural difference between them?
Choose one answer for question 10AThe OLED panel produces light at each pixel, while the LCD panel requires a separate backlight assemblyBThe LCD panel produces light at each pixel, while the OLED panel requires a separate backlight assemblyCBoth panel types require an inverter to drive an LED backlightDBoth panel types produce an image only when an external projector lamp is fitted
Question 11 of 25Hardware · Intermediate
Two buildings on a campus are served by separate electrical services, and a previous copper link between them failed repeatedly after electrical storms. A technician must install a new data link between the buildings. Which cable type eliminates the electrical path between the two buildings entirely?
Choose one answer for question 11AShielded twisted pair with a bonded drain wireBFiber-optic cableCCoaxial cable with a grounded braidDDirect-burial unshielded twisted pair
Question 12 of 25Hardware · Intermediate
A technician finds that a DDR5 desktop module will not seat in a motherboard's DDR4 DIMM slot. What is the correct conclusion?
Choose one answer for question 12AThe memory generation and the slot are incompatible, and the module must not be forcedBThe module is installed backwards and should be reversed in the slotCThe slot requires the modules to be installed in pairs before either will seatDThe module's capacity exceeds what the slot supports, so a smaller module of the same generation will seat
Question 13 of 25Hardware · Intermediate
Which storage interface normally connects an NVMe SSD directly over PCIe rather than through the SATA protocol?
Choose one answer for question 13AA SATA M.2 socket whose module shape matches but whose interface does not carry PCIe NVMe trafficBA 2.5-inch SATA connection that uses the AHCI/SATA protocol through separate data and power cablingCA PCIe expansion card adapter that can host an NVMe module but is not the motherboard's direct M.2 interfaceDM.2 PCIe/NVMe
Question 14 of 25Hardware · Intermediate
Before buying a replacement CPU, which compatibility items must be verified?
Choose one answer for question 14AMatch only the socket name, assuming every CPU for that socket is supported by every firmware revisionBSocket, chipset, firmware support, thermal requirements, and motherboard CPU listCCompare the processor's advertised clock speed with the installed memory speed and ignore board support listsDChoose a processor with the same physical dimensions while leaving cooling capacity and power delivery unverified
Question 15 of 25Hardware · Intermediate
What should determine the minimum PSU capacity for a new PC build?
Choose one answer for question 15AThe combined idle draw of the installed componentsBThe wattage printed on the previous power supply used in the same caseCThe sum of the maximum power ratings of every connector the new unit providesDExpected peak component load, required connectors, efficiency margin, and future expansion
Question 16 of 25Virtualization and Cloud Computing · Intermediate
Which hypervisor type runs directly on host hardware and is common in server consolidation?
Choose one answer for question 16AType 2 hypervisor onlyBType 1 hypervisorCApplication container imageDRemote desktop client
Question 17 of 25Virtualization and Cloud Computing · Intermediate
A development team wants to deploy code without managing guest operating systems. Which model is most appropriate?
Choose one answer for question 17AIaaS virtual machines where the team still patches and maintains each guest operating systemBSaaS that supplies a finished application rather than a platform on which the team deploys its own codeCPaaSDOn-premises containers whose hosts and operating systems remain the team's administrative responsibility
Question 18 of 25Virtualization and Cloud Computing · Advanced
In a SaaS application, which security responsibility normally remains with the customer?
Choose one answer for question 18AReplace the provider's physical disks after validating the affected configurationBManage users, access settings, data handling, and tenant configurationCMaintain the provider's hypervisor after validating the affected configurationDControl the provider's building access
Question 19 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Intermediate
A PC powers off during heavy CPU use and can restart after cooling. Which cause should be investigated first?
Choose one answer for question 19AA PSU protection trip caused by loadBUnstable memory settings that produce crashes under load but do not normally explain recovery only after coolingCCPU overheating from inadequate cooling or poor heatsink contactDA storage controller fault that appears during sustained I/O rather than specifically during heavy CPU use
Question 20 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Advanced
A RAID 5 array reports one failed member but remains online. What is the safest next action?
Choose one answer for question 20ARemove a second drive to test redundancy after validating the affected configuration with the documented prerequisites confirmedBInitialize the whole array after validating the affected configuration with the documented prerequisites confirmedCConfirm backup status, identify the failed member from the controller, replace only that compatible drive, and monitor rebuildDIgnore the degraded state indefinitely after validating the affected configuration with the documented prerequisites confirmed
Question 21 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Beginner
A monitor shows 'No signal' after a desktop is moved. What should be checked first?
Choose one answer for question 21AReplace the graphics adapter before confirming the monitor's selected input and the cable disturbed during the moveBChange the display resolution remotely even though the monitor reports that no input signal is presentCMonitor power, selected input, and video cable seatingDReset firmware display settings
Question 22 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Intermediate
A phone case is separating and the device rocks on a flat table. What is the safest interpretation?
Choose one answer for question 22AContinue charging while monitoring temperatureBPress the case closed and add adhesive, which can compress a damaged lithium cell rather than correct its conditionCPuncture or vent the battery outdoors, which can trigger fire and is not an approved technician service procedureDThe battery may be swollen; stop use and charging and follow approved service procedures
Question 23 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Intermediate
One workstation on a subnet cannot reach the network. Other workstations on the same subnet and the same switch are working normally and hold valid addresses from the DHCP server. The affected workstation holds a 169.254.x.x address, and releasing and renewing its address returns the same result. What should the technician check next on that workstation?
Choose one answer for question 23AIts physical link status and switch port, since a failed link prevents the DHCP exchange from reaching the serverBThe DHCP server's scope size, since exhaustion would explain the failureCThe default gateway address configured on the working workstationsDThe DNS suffix assigned by the working workstations' DHCP lease
Question 24 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Advanced
A wired link negotiates unexpectedly low speed and shows many errors after a cable replacement. What should be checked first?
Choose one answer for question 24ACable category, termination, pair continuity, and port negotiation settingsBForce both ports to the highest speed without confirming that the replacement cable and terminations support itCDisable error counters so the negotiated rate appears stable while physical-layer faults remainDChange IP addressing even though speed negotiation and frame errors indicate a physical or data-link issue
Question 25 of 25Hardware and Network Troubleshooting · Intermediate
A laser printer produces a faint repeated image farther down each page. Which issue is most likely?
Choose one answer for question 25AA transfer roller issue that can affect toner placement but should be distinguished by the defect's shape and repetition intervalBResidual toner on the fuser pathCA worn or contaminated imaging component causing ghostingDA dirty paper path that produces random marks rather than a faint image repeating at a component circumference

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Is this practice test really free?

Yes. All 25 questions, scoring, explanations, and reference links are available without an account or payment.

Does this combine A+ Core 1 and Core 2?

No. This test covers only Core 1 exam 220-1201. CompTIA A+ requires a separate Core 2 exam, 220-1202.

Does this reproduce real CompTIA exam questions?

No. These are original study questions written against the published 220-1201 objectives. CertFlashCards does not use brain dumps or recalled exam items.

Does my score predict whether I will pass A+ Core 1?

No. The score is study feedback from a short sample. Use it to identify domains that need review, not as a certification-exam guarantee.

Unofficial practice material. CompTIA and A+ are trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. CertFlashCards is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA.

A blueprint-weighted sample of the current 220-1201 objectives

Test your A+ Core 1 readiness

A phone battery is swollen and lifting the display. What should the technician do first?

Which mobile technology is designed for a tap-style exchange over a very short distance?

A company must enforce screen locks and remotely remove business data from lost phones. Which capability best meets the requirement?

Why is UDP commonly used for real-time voice traffic?

Two nearby access points use overlapping 2.4 GHz channels and clients experience poor throughput. What should be adjusted first?

A user's hostname lookup fails, but connecting to the server by IP address works. Which service is most likely failing?

A Windows client assigns itself an address in 169.254.0.0/16. What does this most strongly indicate?

A café wants customer Wi-Fi to use the same internet connection as its point-of-sale network. Which router configuration best separates the two traffic groups while keeping both online?

Which tool verifies wire-map faults such as opens, shorts, and reversed pairs in a copper Ethernet cable?

A technician is comparing two laptop replacement panels of the same size and resolution. One is an LCD panel and the other is an OLED panel. Which statement correctly describes a structural difference between them?

A technician finds that a DDR5 desktop module will not seat in a motherboard's DDR4 DIMM slot. What is the correct conclusion?

Which storage interface normally connects an NVMe SSD directly over PCIe rather than through the SATA protocol?

Before buying a replacement CPU, which compatibility items must be verified?

What should determine the minimum PSU capacity for a new PC build?

Which hypervisor type runs directly on host hardware and is common in server consolidation?

A development team wants to deploy code without managing guest operating systems. Which model is most appropriate?

In a SaaS application, which security responsibility normally remains with the customer?

A PC powers off during heavy CPU use and can restart after cooling. Which cause should be investigated first?

A RAID 5 array reports one failed member but remains online. What is the safest next action?

A monitor shows 'No signal' after a desktop is moved. What should be checked first?

A phone case is separating and the device rocks on a flat table. What is the safest interpretation?

A wired link negotiates unexpectedly low speed and shows many errors after a cable replacement. What should be checked first?

A laser printer produces a faint repeated image farther down each page. Which issue is most likely?

Turn your result into a Core 1 study plan

A+ Core 1 practice test questions