CompTIA A+ prep, helpdesk and IT support roadmap with ARIA
CompTIA A+ is two separate exams (220-1101 and 220-1102), each 90 minutes, each up to roughly 90 questions including performance-based items, with different passing scores: 675 out of 900 for Core 1 and 700 out of 900 for Core 2. There are no prerequisites and you can space the two attempts however you want. I prep you for both as a single paired roadmap, with an adaptive evaluation, daily tasks, an error backlog tagged for hardware-vs-software traps, and a pass guarantee tied to five measurable conditions. Start at claudelab.me/onboarding/select-cert?code=A%2B.
TL;DR
- Two exams required: 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2). Each is 90 minutes, up to 90 items, passing 675/900 for Core 1 and 700/900 for Core 2.
- No prerequisites. Sit them on the same day or weeks apart. Both must be the same exam version (current pair as of 2026: 220-1101 + 220-1102).
- A+ is the global entry credential for IT helpdesk and support roles; standard CompTIA ladder is A+, Network+, Security+.
- I run one 15-to-25-question CAT eval that covers domains across both exams, then build a single paired roadmap with phases sequenced worst-to-best across the full set.
- Pass-guarantee eligibility is mechanical, checked by a database function with five measurable conditions, and applies once both exams are passed.
What the A+ exam is
A+ is two separate exams that together earn one certification. Both are required. You can sit them in either order, on the same day or months apart, and they are scheduled and paid for independently. The current version pair as of 2026 is 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2). Each exam runs 90 minutes with up to 90 questions including performance-based items, scored on a 100-to-900 scale. Core 1 passes at 675, Core 2 passes at 700.
This is the IT entry credential. It opens helpdesk, desktop support, field service, and junior sysadmin roles, and it is the first rung of CompTIA's standard ladder before Network+ and Security+.
220-1101 (Core 1) domains
Core 1 is the physical and network side of the job: what hardware exists, how networks behave, what cables and connectors look like, and how to troubleshoot when something refuses to power on or connect.
| Domain | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Mobile Devices | 15% | Laptops (display assemblies, batteries, RAM and storage replacement), mobile device hardware, mobile network connectivity (cellular, GPS, hotspot), accessory pairing, mobile sync vs backup. |
| 2.0 Networking | 20% | TCP/IP fundamentals, common ports and protocols, wireless standards (Wi-Fi 5/6/6E), network hardware (switches, routers, APs, firewalls), SOHO setup, internet connection types, network types (LAN, WAN, PAN, MAN). |
| 3.0 Hardware | 25% | Cables and connectors (USB-A/B/C, Thunderbolt, HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, RJ45, RJ11), RAM types (DDR4, DDR5, SODIMM), storage (SATA, NVMe, M.2), motherboards and CPUs, power supplies, peripherals, printers (laser, inkjet, thermal, impact). |
| 4.0 Virtualization and Cloud Computing | 11% | Cloud concepts (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), shared resources, public vs private vs hybrid, client-side virtualization, hypervisor types, virtual machine requirements, VDI basics. |
| 5.0 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting | 29% | Six-step troubleshooting methodology, common motherboard/CPU/RAM/storage symptoms, display issues, mobile device troubleshooting, printer troubleshooting (laser stages, jams, streaks), network connectivity troubleshooting (cable test, ping, ipconfig, tracert). |
Troubleshooting is the largest single domain at 29 percent. Hardware adds another 25. Just over half the exam is "what does this symptom mean and what do you do about it."
220-1102 (Core 2) domains
Core 2 is the software and human side: operating systems, security, software-level troubleshooting, and operational procedures (the things a working tech needs to know that are not strictly technical).
| Domain | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Windows editions and features, install and upgrade methods, command line (sfc, chkdsk, gpresult, taskkill, ipconfig, sfc, dism), Control Panel and Settings, macOS basics, Linux basics, mobile OS features. |
| Security | Physical security, logical security (ACLs, MFA, principle of least privilege), wireless security protocols (WPA2/WPA3), malware classification and removal, social engineering, browser security, mobile device security. |
| Software Troubleshooting | Windows boot issues, OS errors, application crashes, mobile OS issues, malware symptoms and removal procedure, common security symptoms. |
| Operational Procedures | Documentation, change management, backup methods, safety (ESD, lifting, fire), environmental impacts, incident response, communication and professionalism, scripting basics. |
There is no interactive lab on either exam. PBQs are scenario simulation: drag-drop ordering, port-to-protocol matching, log or output identification, and topology reasoning. They are weighted higher than single MCQs and they appear at the start of the exam, so pacing on the first 10 minutes matters.
Where A+ sits versus Network+ and Security+
A+ is the entry rung. Network+ is the networking specialist follow-on, sitting deeper on subnetting, routing, and protocol behavior than the 20 percent A+ touches. Security+ is the entry-level cybersecurity credential, intermediate level, weighted toward operations and threats. The clean three-step path is A+, then Network+, then Security+. People who try Network+ before A+ often end up backfilling the hardware and connector knowledge that A+ teaches as a baseline.
How ARIA preps you for it
ARIA owns A+ prep end to end, and on this cert specifically she runs the two exams as a paired roadmap rather than two disconnected plans.
The CAT evaluation. Your first session is a 15-to-25-question adaptive test that covers domains across both 220-1101 and 220-1102. Difficulty adjusts after every answer. The test stops at 95 percent confidence or 25 questions, whichever comes first. The output is a per-domain skill estimate that spans both exams, which is what makes the paired roadmap possible. Read the full CAT explainer for the mechanics.
The paired roadmap. A+ is the only cert in the catalog where I generate a single roadmap that tracks both exams together. Phases are sequenced worst-to-best across the combined eight domains, and milestone count scales by starting level: novice on Hardware Troubleshooting gets the most milestones, proficient on Operational Procedures gets the fewest. You usually sit Core 1 around the time the last 1101 milestone validates, then continue the roadmap into Core 2 milestones. Full structure: the roadmap overview.
The daily task engine. Every time you reopen the app, I pick the next thing to work on, today. One task. Not a list. The engine weighs active milestone, error backlog, readiness decay, and schedule drift, then surfaces the single highest-value action through the Today Task card. Roadmap tasks advance milestones; free-play tasks improve readiness but do not.
The error backlog with hardware-vs-software trap categorization. Every wrong answer on an A+ item is tagged with the trap pattern, exam (1101 or 1102), domain, and topic. Two macro tags get special weight on this cert because they decide the exam: hardware-trap (connector ID, RAM form factor, printer technology, troubleshooting symptom) and software-trap (Windows command flag, malware classification, OS error code, security policy). Tagged items return at increasing intervals and retire only after three correct in a row, spaced. The practice sessions page walks through the daily lane.
The readiness score. A single 0-to-100 number that estimates your probability of passing today. Because A+ has two exams, I track a separate readiness for each one and a combined number for the cert. The combined number drives the pass guarantee, which only flips eligible after both exams' readiness clear 80, both mock thresholds clear, and the gauntlet condition holds. Readiness can decay if you stop showing up.
Common pitfalls on A+
These are the questions that quietly cost the most points on this cert. Every prep tool calls them out. Few do anything structural about them.
RAM types and form factors
The trap: DDR4 and DDR5 look almost identical to a beginner, both have desktop and laptop form factors, and the exam loves stems that hint at compatibility ("a laptop with two slots labeled X needs an upgrade"). DDR4 desktop is 288-pin DIMM with the notch in one specific location; DDR5 desktop is also 288-pin DIMM but the notch is offset and they are not interchangeable. SODIMM is the laptop form factor and DDR4 SODIMM is 260-pin while DDR5 SODIMM is 262-pin. Picking the wrong form factor on a PBQ drag-drop is the most common single hardware miss.
Connector identification on PBQs
USB-C alt-mode, Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, RJ45, and RJ11 all show up in connector-ID PBQs and several of them look similar in a small image. USB-C and Thunderbolt 3/4 use the same physical port but different protocols. DisplayPort and HDMI carry video but use different connector shapes (DP has the asymmetric corner, HDMI has the trapezoid). DVI has multiple subtypes (DVI-A analog, DVI-D digital, DVI-I integrated) and the pin configuration tells you which. RJ45 (8-pin, network) and RJ11 (4 or 6-pin, telephone) are the easy confusion to lose a point on.
Printer technology categories
Laser, inkjet, thermal, and impact each have their own consumables, maintenance procedure, and failure modes. Laser has seven imaging stages (processing, charging, exposing, developing, transferring, fusing, cleaning) and the order shows up on PBQs. Inkjet maintenance is nozzle cleaning, head alignment, and ink cartridge replacement. Thermal printers use heat-sensitive paper, no ink, and the failure mode is faded output. Impact printers use ribbon and pin heads and are the only category still used for multi-part forms. Stems that describe a symptom and ask which technology will lose points if you cannot map symptom to category cold.
Windows command line vs Linux/macOS basics
Core 2 expects you to know what sfc /scannow, chkdsk /f /r, gpresult /r, taskkill /im notepad.exe, and the ipconfig flags (/all, /release, /renew, /flushdns) actually do, plus when to run them. Linux and macOS basics are lighter (ls, pwd, cd, sudo, chmod, chown, grep) but still tested. The exam rotates between asking which command produces a specific output and asking which command fixes a specific symptom, so memorizing flags without understanding the use case is a slow way to fail.
Mobile device sync vs backup
The trap: sync and backup sound interchangeable and they are not. Sync keeps two endpoints (phone and cloud, phone and laptop) at the same state, with changes propagating both ways. Backup captures a snapshot for restore later, with no propagation. Deleting a contact on a synced device deletes it from the cloud copy too; restoring from backup brings the contact back. Stems describe a user losing data and ask whether sync, backup, or both would have prevented it.
Malware classification and removal procedure
The exam tests both the classification (virus replicates with a host file, worm replicates without a host, trojan masquerades as legitimate software, ransomware encrypts and demands payment, rootkit hides at the OS or below) and the removal procedure order. The CompTIA seven-step removal procedure is fixed: investigate and verify symptoms, quarantine, disable system restore (Windows), remediate, schedule scans, enable system restore, educate the end user. Skipping a step or doing them out of order is a guaranteed point loss on the Core 2 PBQ that asks for the order.
Social engineering at the helpdesk level
Phishing, spear phishing, whaling, vishing, smishing, pretexting, tailgating, shoulder surfing, dumpster diving, and impersonation all have specific definitions on the exam. Stems describe a scenario from the helpdesk seat ("a caller claims to be from accounting and needs the CFO's password reset urgently") and ask which vector is in play. The trap is that several stems fit two categories loosely; the exam wants the most specific one.
Common questions
Do I need to take both A+ exams in one sitting?
No. The 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2) are scheduled and paid for separately. You can sit them on the same day, a week apart, or months apart. CompTIA only certifies you as A+ once both are passed, and both must be passed against the same exam version (the current pair as of 2026 is 220-1101 plus 220-1102). Most candidates space them by two to four weeks so they can prep one fully, sit it, then refocus on the second.
How are A+ performance-based questions scored?
PBQs on A+ are weighted higher than single multiple-choice items but they are partial-credit. A drag-drop with five matches earns proportional points for the matches you get right. CompTIA places them at the start of the exam and they take longer than MCQs, so candidates who burn 6 minutes each on the first three PBQs run out of time. Budget 90 to 120 seconds per PBQ, flag any that bleed past three minutes, return at the end.
How long does A+ prep take at 30 to 45 minutes per day for both exams?
At 30 minutes per day, median time-to-ready for both exams sits between ten and fourteen weeks. At 45 minutes, seven to ten weeks. The roadmap covers both 220-1101 and 220-1102 as paired phases, sequenced from your weakest domain to your strongest across both exams. A complete novice on hardware lands at the longer end; someone with informal PC repair experience lands closer to seven weeks.
Should I take A+ or Network+ first?
A+ first, in almost every case. A+ is designed as the entry credential and it covers networking at a foundational level inside Core 1 (20 percent of 220-1101). Network+ assumes you already know the difference between a switch and a router, what RJ45 is, and how DHCP behaves. Going Network+ first means relearning the hardware context that A+ teaches in passing. The standard CompTIA ladder is A+, then Network+, then Security+.
Does A+ make sense as a stepping stone to CySA+ or Security+?
Yes for Security+, with caveats for CySA+. A+ teaches the operational vocabulary (operating systems, command line, mobile devices, basic security) that Security+ assumes you own. Going A+ then Security+ is a clean two-step path into entry-level security roles. CySA+ sits a tier higher and assumes Security+ depth on threats and architecture, so A+ alone does not prepare you for CySA+. The full ladder for blue-team work is A+, Network+, Security+, then CySA+.
What does the A+ certification actually qualify me for?
A+ is the global baseline credential for IT support and helpdesk roles. Common job titles include IT support specialist, helpdesk technician, desktop support, field service technician, and junior systems administrator. US federal contractors and many large enterprises list A+ as a hiring filter at the entry level. It is not a security credential, not a networking specialist credential, and not a cloud credential. It is the proof that you can be put on a ticket queue and close tickets without supervision.
What is the difference between 220-1101 and 220-1102?
220-1101 (Core 1) covers the physical and network side: mobile devices, networking, hardware, virtualization and cloud, and hardware/network troubleshooting. Passing score is 675 out of 900. 220-1102 (Core 2) covers the software and human side: operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. Passing score is 700 out of 900. Both are 90 minutes, both have up to 90 questions including PBQs, and both must be passed (against the same version pair) to earn the cert.
Start your CompTIA A+ prep
The cheapest possible signal is the 15-minute CAT evaluation. It tells you which domains across both A+ exams you actually own, which one will cost you the cert if you sit Core 1 tomorrow, and where the paired roadmap starts. After that, you decide whether to commit.
Start your free CompTIA A+ evaluation now.
Background reading: the AI cert prep guide covers the four categories of AI prep tools, readiness and decay explains the score that drives the experience, and the pass guarantee page lays out the five mechanical conditions that make refund eligibility objective.