CompTIA A+ Core 1 (V15) (220-1201) practice questions

Domain coverage 5 domains

• Mobile Devices (13%)
• Networking (23%)
• Hardware (25%)
• Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%)
• Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (28%)

Sample questions 11 of 105 shown

1. Q1 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A technician is replacing the screen on a laptop and notices a thin cable routed around the perimeter of the display bezel. What is this cable most likely used for?

   1. Powering the keyboard backlight
   2. Connecting the Wi-Fi antenna
   3. Providing signal to the trackpad
   4. Supplying power to the optical drive

   Laptop Wi-Fi antennas are almost always routed around the display bezel because the elevated, unobstructed position provides the best wireless signal reception. The thin cable seen during screen replacement is the antenna lead running through the hinges to the wireless card.
2. Q2 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A user reports that their laptop display shows a very faint image that is only visible when a flashlight is shone on the screen. Which component is most likely faulty?

   1. LCD panel
   2. Inverter or LED backlight driver
   3. Video cable
   4. GPU

   When the display produces a visible but very dim image, the LCD panel itself is working — it is generating the image. The problem is that the backlight is not illuminating it. On older CCFL displays this is the inverter; on modern LED displays it is the LED backlight driver board.
3. Q3 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A technician needs to add more RAM to a laptop. Which form factor should the technician use?

   1. DIMM
   2. SO-DIMM
   3. SIMM
   4. RIMM

   Laptops use SO-DIMMs (Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Modules) because they are compact — roughly half the length of full-size DIMMs used in desktops. SIMMs and RIMMs are legacy form factors no longer commonly used.
4. Q4 Mobile Devices (15%)

   An employee's company-owned tablet must be configured so the IT department can remotely wipe it, enforce password policies, and push approved applications. Which technology should be used?

   1. VPN client
   2. Mobile Device Management (MDM)
   3. Full-disk encryption
   4. Remote desktop application

   MDM allows IT administrators to remotely manage, secure, and configure mobile devices. MDM platforms can enforce password complexity, remotely wipe lost/stolen devices, push and revoke applications, and apply security policies.
5. Q5 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A technician is replacing the battery in a laptop that uses an internal non-removable battery. Before opening the case, which steps should the technician take FIRST?

   1. Remove the hard drive and disconnect the display
   2. Power off the laptop, unplug AC power, and disconnect the internal battery ribbon cable
   3. Boot into BIOS and disable the battery charging circuit
   4. Ground the laptop chassis to the AC outlet using the power cord

   When working with internal batteries, safety is paramount. The correct first step is to power down, unplug the AC adapter, then carefully disconnect the internal battery cable before touching any other components. Some manufacturers also recommend holding the power button for 10-15 seconds to drain residual capacitance.
6. Q6 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A laptop with a touchscreen is experiencing "ghost touches" — random input detected without user touch. After confirming no physical damage, which action is most likely to resolve the issue?

   1. Replace the laptop keyboard
   2. Update or reinstall the touchscreen digitizer driver
   3. Increase the screen brightness
   4. Disable Bluetooth

   Ghost touches on a touchscreen are typically caused by a faulty or outdated digitizer driver. The digitizer is the component that senses touch input, and if its driver is buggy or corrupted, it can register false input. Updating or reinstalling the driver often resolves the issue.
7. Q7 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A user connects a smartphone to a car stereo that only supports wired audio input. Which smartphone feature should the technician verify is available?

   1. NFC
   2. 3.5 mm headphone jack or USB-C audio output
   3. Wireless charging
   4. GPS antenna

   For wired connection to a car stereo, the smartphone needs a 3.5 mm headphone jack or USB-C audio output capability. Many newer phones without headphone jacks include a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter.
8. Q8 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A laptop fails to charge when connected to a docking station. The technician has confirmed the docking station has power, the laptop port is undamaged, and the BIOS is up to date. All devices connected to the dock also fail to work. What should the technician do next?

   1. Replace the power supply
   2. Replace the docking station
   3. Reinstall the operating system on the laptop
   4. Roll back the BIOS update

   Since all devices connected to the docking station are failing, and the technician has ruled out the laptop port and power supply, the docking station itself has likely developed a hardware fault. Docking stations are field-replaceable units (FRUs) typically replaced rather than repaired.
9. Q9 Mobile Devices (15%)

   A user borrows a laptop charger and notices the battery is charging very slowly. What should the technician check first?

   1. Adjust laptop battery performance settings
   2. Try a different charging port
   3. Use a different power adapter with the correct wattage
   4. Replace the laptop battery

   When a borrowed charger charges slowly, the most common cause is that the adapter has insufficient wattage. Many laptops require specific power ratings (65W, 90W, 120W, etc.). A lower-wattage charger will still charge but at a significantly slower rate.
10. Q10 Networking (20%)

    A technician needs to securely transfer files to a remote server. Which protocol should be used instead of FTP?

    1. TFTP
    2. SFTP
    3. SMTP
    4. SNMP

    SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) provides encrypted file transfer over SSH (port 22), making it a secure alternative to FTP which transmits credentials and data in cleartext.
11. Q11 Networking (20%)

    Which port does HTTPS use by default?

    1. 80
    2. 443
    3. 8080
    4. 8443

    HTTPS (HTTP Secure) defaults to port 443 and uses TLS to encrypt traffic. Port 80 is standard HTTP. Port 8080 is a common HTTP alternate port. Port 8443 is a common HTTPS alternate.

Answer all 105 questions with instant feedback →

Reader reviews 122 ratings

• Covered all five domains of the 220-1201 exam thoroughly. I especially appreciated the detailed breakdowns for the tricky questions.

  ★★★★★★ Natalie R.

• I let my coworker borrow my 220-1201 account to study — he passed too. These questions are legit.

  ★★★★★★ Grayson P.

• I was really impressed by the quality of the 220-1201 questions. No typos, no vague wording — they clearly know the material.

  ★★★★★★ Stella P.

• I passed 220-1201 on my first try thanks to these practice questions. The unlimited retakes were essential for building confidence.

  ★★★★★ Nicole K.

• Very realistic 220-1201 exam simulation. The timer feature helped me practice pacing before the actual test.

  ★★★★★★ Ellie B.

• Best 220-1201 prep I’ve found online. The question pool is deep and the randomized practice mode keeps you on your toes.

  ★★★★★★ Mason T.

Frequently asked questions

Free study resources

Community-verified analysis of 48 questions from real test-taker discussions — 10 deep analyses and 0 FAQs.

More CompTIA exams