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CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)

Blueprint-first A+ Core 1 guide covering the current 220-1201 domains, practical support lessons, and review appendices.

This guide turns CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 into a real technician workflow instead of a loose list of ports, cables, and printer facts. Core 1 is still entry-level, but the questions usually reward candidates who can choose the right part, setting, standard, or first troubleshooting step without overreacting.

PBQ: Performance-based question that asks you to troubleshoot, sequence, match, or configure something instead of only picking one definition.

SOHO: Small office or home office environment, the scale CompTIA often uses for router, Wi-Fi, DHCP, and VPN questions.

Current exam snapshot

As of March 29, 2026, CompTIA’s current Core 1 page lists:

ItemCurrent CompTIA signal
VersionV15
Exam code220-1201
Launch dateMarch 25, 2025
Question countMaximum of 90
Exam styleSingle-response, multiple-response, drag-and-drop, and PBQ items
Duration90 minutes
Passing score675 on a 100-900 scale
LanguagesEnglish, German, and Japanese
Recommended experience12 months in an IT support specialist role
Retirement modelUsually three years after launch (estimated 2028)
Full-cert ruleCore 1 and Core 2 must be passed from the same V15 series

What Core 1 is really testing

CompTIA is not mainly testing whether you can memorize every connector name in isolation. It is testing whether you can:

  • recognize the most likely component, standard, or setting from a realistic symptom
  • understand which wired, wireless, storage, printer, or mobile detail actually matters
  • troubleshoot in a calm order instead of replacing parts blindly
  • apply support logic at the home, help-desk, and junior field-tech level

How this guide is structured

    flowchart LR
	  S["Study Plan"] --> D["5 official domains"]
	  D --> L["Lesson pages"]
	  L --> C["Cheat Sheet and Glossary"]
	  C --> F["FAQ and Resources"]

What to notice:

  • the chapter pages follow CompTIA’s official Core 1 domains directly
  • the lesson pages split the broadest objective groups into clearer support-sized learning units
  • the appendix pages help with review, but the lesson pages stay the main learning units

Coverage map for the current guide

DomainWeightLesson countFocus
1. Mobile Devices13%4laptops, accessories, mobile networking, and phone or tablet triage
2. Networking23%4ports, addressing, SOHO setup, Wi-Fi, cabling, and basic tools
3. Hardware25%5internal components, power, cooling, storage, connectors, and printers
4. Virtualization and Cloud Computing11%2hypervisors, VMs, VDI, thin clients, and cloud service models
5. Hardware and Network Troubleshooting28%5symptom-first diagnosis across PCs, mobile devices, printers, and networks

Best entry path by background

Starting pointProtect these chapters firstWhy
new help-desk learner3. Hardware, 2. Networking, then 5. Troubleshootingmost misses come from compatibility basics and weak fault classification
already working on tickets5. Troubleshooting, 3. Hardware, then 1. Mobile Devicesoperational readers usually need cleaner component and symptom vocabulary
pairing Core 1 with Core 23. Hardware, 2. Networking, 5. TroubleshootingCore 1 provides the hardware and path model that later OS and security questions depend on

If two answers both sound right

Use these tie-breakers:

  • choose the least disruptive step that still tests the theory
  • match the answer to the exact symptom boundary, not just the broad technology area
  • protect physical basics before chasing advanced software explanations
  • prefer the option that fits CompTIA’s support workflow rather than an enterprise-only design habit

Support pages

Use these pages beside the main lessons, not instead of them:

In this section

A+ Core 2