220-1202
CompTIA A+ Certification Exam: Core 2
220-1202 A+ Core 2 V15 Exam Guide: Skills, Scheduling, and Study Roadmap
CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 validates practical support skills across operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. It serves candidates completing the second exam in the A+ certification path, including people preparing for technical support, system administration, or cyber defense infrastructure support work. This guide helps you decide whether your current experience is sufficient, which skills need hands-on practice, how to prepare for the item formats, and when to schedule the exam.
What does 220-1202 validate?
220-1202 tests whether you can support operating systems and resolve software-related problems while applying security and operational procedures. CompTIA describes the exam as covering the installation, configuration, and management of Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems, so preparation should focus on practical decisions rather than memorizing isolated terminology.
The exam’s practical role
A+ Core 2 is the second of the two exams required to earn the CompTIA A+ certification. It is not a standalone replacement for the complete A+ pathway. If you are pursuing A+, confirm that your Core 1 and Core 2 exams belong to the same A+ version; CompTIA does not permit mixing versions.
The exam is part of CompTIA A+ version V15, and CompTIA identifies 220-1202 as the exam series code for A+ Core 2. CompTIA launched the 220-1202 A+ Core 2 V15 exam on March 25, 2025. CompTIA estimates that the exam will usually retire about three years after launch, with an estimated retirement in 2028. Because retirement information can change, verify the current version before purchasing preparation materials or scheduling.
Who should consider it
This exam is a reasonable target for an entry-level or early-career IT support candidate who already understands basic computer hardware and networking concepts and now needs to demonstrate operating-system and support operations skills. It can also suit an existing support worker who wants a structured credential, provided the candidate prepares against the current V15 objectives.
CompTIA recommends 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support specialist job role before taking 220-1202. That is a recommendation, not a stated prerequisite in the supplied official information. Candidates with less experience should compensate with deliberate lab work and troubleshooting practice instead of treating the recommendation as irrelevant.
Which skills should you study first?
Start with the areas that affect several support tasks at once: operating-system administration, security decisions, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. The supplied official information identifies these as the exam’s emphasis areas, but it does not provide domain percentages in the research snapshot. Do not assign unofficial weights to these areas or compare bare percentages from third-party study sites.
Operating systems
Build working familiarity with installing, configuring, and managing Windows, macOS, and Linux. Your study should connect a user symptom to an administrative action: for example, identifying a configuration problem, checking the relevant system setting, applying a controlled change, and verifying the result.
A useful preparation decision is whether you can explain the same support process across different operating systems. Do not study Windows as though it represents the entire exam. Create a comparison sheet for the three operating systems that records how you approach user accounts, applications, system settings, updates, permissions, and troubleshooting evidence. Use only procedures you can verify in the relevant system.
Security
Security preparation should focus on protecting systems during routine support work. Practice recognizing unsafe configurations, handling access appropriately, and choosing a remediation that reduces risk without creating a new operational problem.
Avoid learning security as a list of buzzwords. For each control or response you study, write down the problem it addresses, the evidence that would justify using it, and the likely effect on the user or system. This habit helps you distinguish a sensible support action from a technically possible but poorly controlled change.
Software troubleshooting
Software troubleshooting requires a repeatable method: define the symptom, establish what changed, isolate the likely cause, select a low-risk corrective action, and verify that the issue is resolved. Use this sequence for application failures, operating-system problems, update issues, and user-access symptoms.
The common mistake is jumping to the most familiar fix before collecting evidence. During preparation, keep a troubleshooting log. Record the symptom, relevant environment, tests performed, result of each test, final action, and verification step. Review the log weekly to find areas where you are guessing instead of diagnosing.
Operational procedures
Operational procedures turn technical knowledge into dependable support. Study how to document work, protect users and systems, communicate changes, and follow an orderly response process. These skills matter because a correct technical fix can still create operational problems if it is undocumented, excessive, or applied without considering impact.
When reviewing a scenario, ask four questions: What is the immediate user impact? What evidence is available? What action is authorized and least disruptive? What must be recorded or communicated afterward? These questions provide a practical framework for ambiguous situations without relying on memorized answer patterns.
What item formats should you expect?
CompTIA lists multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions as 220-1202 item formats. Prepare for both recognition and action: you need to know the correct concept, but you should also be able to arrange steps, select an appropriate tool or setting, or respond to a simulated support task.
Multiple-choice questions
For multiple-choice items, identify the user’s actual objective before examining every option. Eliminate answers that solve a different problem, introduce unnecessary risk, or skip a prerequisite. Then compare the remaining choices against the evidence in the scenario.
Do not interpret repeated exposure to practice questions as proof that you know the subject. Use official practice material to check how you read the question and identify gaps, but learn the underlying process. CompTIA provides an official A+ Core 2 V15 practice-questions page that should be checked alongside the current exam information.
Drag-and-drop questions
Drag-and-drop items reward accurate sequencing and classification. Practice organizing troubleshooting steps, matching a symptom to a response, and distinguishing similar administrative actions. Explain why each item belongs in its position rather than relying on visual memory.
A useful drill is to hide the labels after creating your own procedure and reconstruct it from the objective. If you cannot explain the order, return to the underlying task. This is more durable than copying a sequence from a study note.
Performance-based questions
Performance-based questions require you to apply knowledge in a simulated task. Prepare by performing support activities in a safe lab environment: change a setting, inspect a system state, troubleshoot a controlled fault, document what you changed, and confirm the outcome.
Do not search for or rely on leaked questions or exam dumps. They do not replace understanding, and memorizing recalled content does not guarantee a passing result. Build transferable skill by working from symptoms and constraints that you create yourself.
How is the exam delivered and scored?
The supplied official information states that 220-1202 has a maximum of 90 questions, an allotted testing time of 90 minutes, and a passing score of 700 on a 900-point scale. CompTIA lists English, German, and Japanese as languages for the standalone A+ Core 2 V15 exam. Confirm the current appointment details before scheduling.
Choosing an appointment format
CompTIA says candidates schedule by selecting the exam code through Pearson VUE. The available testing choices identified in the scheduling guidance are an in-person appointment at a Pearson VUE center or an online appointment through OnVUE.
Choose based on your dependable working environment, not preference alone. An in-person center may be the simpler choice if your home setup is unsuitable for online proctoring. Online delivery may be practical if you can meet the provider’s current technical and room requirements. Check those requirements directly before paying or committing to an appointment.
Planning time for the appointment
The official testing time is 90 minutes, so practise making progress without spending too long on one uncertain item. A sensible approach is to answer clear questions first, mark difficult decisions for later when the interface allows it, and reserve time to review flagged items.
Do not treat the maximum question count as a promise that every appointment will feel identical. Use the official limit as a planning constraint, then practise reading carefully while maintaining forward movement. Your goal is controlled decision-making, not simply rushing to finish.
Understanding the score
The passing score is 700 on a 900-point scale. It is not useful to translate that figure into a guaranteed number of correct answers because the supplied information does not establish a direct question-to-score conversion. Use practice results diagnostically rather than trying to reverse-engineer an unofficial pass percentage.
A candidate who repeatedly misses the same topic should repair that topic before scheduling. A candidate whose errors are scattered should examine question reading, troubleshooting logic, and time management. The response to a weak result should be targeted, not a random increase in study hours.
Should you schedule now or keep studying?
Schedule only after you can demonstrate the relevant skills consistently in a lab or support scenario and can explain your reasoning without depending on answer recall. The official experience recommendation can inform your decision, but it should be combined with evidence from your own practice, especially if you have not worked in an IT support role.
A practical readiness check
Before selecting an appointment, test yourself in four ways. First, explain how you would install, configure, or manage each operating system covered by the exam. Second, diagnose a software problem from symptoms and evidence. Third, identify the security implications of a support action. Fourth, document the change and explain how you would verify it.
This is a recommendation for preparation, not an official CompTIA eligibility test. Treat any weak area as a scheduling signal. If you can perform only when following a tutorial, continue practising. If you can complete the task but cannot explain why the action is appropriate, review the concepts behind it.
Confirming the exam version
Verify that your study resources refer to A+ Core 2 V15 and exam code 220-1202. This matters because Core 1 and Core 2 must be taken from the same A+ version, and CompTIA does not permit mixing versions.
Also check the official exam page for current retirement information before setting a long study timeline. The supplied fact describes 2028 as an estimated retirement year, not a guaranteed date. A candidate near a version transition should avoid assuming that an older book or practice set remains aligned.
What should a hands-on lab include?
A useful lab does not need to imitate the exam interface. It needs to let you create controlled problems, gather evidence, make reversible changes, and verify outcomes across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Keep the work legal, isolated, and safe; do not experiment on an employer’s production system or another person’s device.
Build tasks around a symptom
Begin each session with a support problem rather than a command list. Define what the user reports, what should happen, and what has already been tried. Then inspect the system, form a hypothesis, test it, apply the smallest suitable correction, and confirm the result.
Rotate the operating system you use so that convenience does not hide gaps. If one platform is unavailable to you, use reputable official documentation or a permitted virtualized environment to study the concepts, while distinguishing reading about a task from actually performing it.
Record evidence and changes
Use a simple lab record with fields for symptom, system, suspected cause, evidence, action, result, and follow-up. This makes your study measurable and reinforces operational procedures instead of treating troubleshooting as an undocumented sequence of clicks.
Review records for repeated patterns. If you frequently apply a fix without a diagnostic test, add a rule that requires one piece of supporting evidence first. If you forget verification, make it the final mandatory line in every lab entry.
How should you use official study resources?
Start with CompTIA’s current A+ Core 2 V15 exam page and practice-questions page, then use resources that support the specific skills you have identified as weak. The CompTIA Instructors Network lists a dedicated A+ Core 2 220-1202 category with an A+ Core 2 V15 TTT Series on-demand resource, which can supplement—not replace—hands-on practice.
Use the exam page as the authority
Use the official exam page to confirm the exam code, version, format information, languages, question limit, testing time, passing score, experience recommendation, and current version status. Time-sensitive facts should be rechecked when you are ready to schedule.
Do not let a third-party outline silently replace the official scope. When two resources disagree, identify whether one refers to a different version or is offering an interpretation. Prepare from the current CompTIA information first, then use supplementary explanations to clarify difficult topics.
Use practice questions as diagnosis
Complete practice questions only after studying a topic, then review every answer—including answers you selected correctly. For each item, identify the key evidence, the action being tested, and why the alternatives are less suitable.
The official practice-questions page is useful for familiarizing yourself with the style of preparation material, but practice performance is not the same as an official score. Keep a gap list and convert each recurring error into a lab task, explanation exercise, or focused review session.
Use instructor resources selectively
The CompTIA Instructors Network category specifically lists an on-demand A+ Core 2 V15 TTT Series. Such material can help structure study, especially when you need an explanation of a difficult topic, but passive viewing should not become your entire plan.
After each lesson, close the resource and reproduce the process from memory in your own words. Then perform a related task or troubleshoot a variation. This converts instruction into evidence that you can use the skill rather than merely recognize its vocabulary.
A six-stage study roadmap
A staged plan is more effective than repeatedly rereading the same notes. Establish your baseline, map the four emphasis areas, practise operating-system tasks, apply security and troubleshooting methods, rehearse the item formats, and make a final scheduling decision from evidence. Adjust the pace to your background rather than forcing an arbitrary calendar.
Stage one: establish your baseline
Confirm that you are preparing for A+ Core 2 V15, exam code 220-1202, and identify whether you are completing the second exam required for A+. List the operating systems and support tasks you have actually used, not merely studied. Mark each as confident, partially familiar, or unfamiliar.
Next action: take a diagnostic set from an appropriate official or authorized source and explain your misses. Do not schedule from the diagnostic score alone. Its purpose is to reveal where your study time will have the greatest effect.
Stage two: map the objective areas
Organize your notes under operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures because these are the emphasis areas identified by CompTIA. Add a separate column for evidence: a definition you can explain, a task you can perform, or a scenario you can reason through.
Next action: choose one measurable task for each area. For example, write a troubleshooting record, perform an operating-system configuration exercise, analyse a security choice, and explain the proper operational follow-up. Keep the tasks tied to the official scope rather than inventing unsupported exam topics.
Stage three: develop operating-system fluency
Work through comparable support activities on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Focus on the purpose of the action, the information you need before making a change, and how you confirm that the change worked. Use a comparison table to expose platform-specific gaps.
Next action: complete a mixed-platform lab without consulting your notes until you have recorded your initial diagnosis. Then check your method and correct the record. This practice helps prevent overconfidence based on experience with only one operating system.
Stage four: practise secure troubleshooting
Combine security and software troubleshooting instead of studying them in isolation. A support action should solve the user’s problem while preserving appropriate access control, system integrity, and documentation. Practise choosing between immediate relief, deeper diagnosis, and escalation when the evidence is incomplete.
Next action: create several controlled faults and write the safest reasonable response before applying a fix. Include what you would verify and what information you would record. Avoid using real malware, destructive changes, or unauthorized systems for practice.
Stage five: rehearse exam decisions
Use mixed practice to shift from topic recognition to scenario judgment. Include multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based preparation because CompTIA lists all three item formats. Review reasoning, not just outcomes, and practise moving past an item when further thought is not producing evidence-based progress.
Next action: maintain an error register with categories such as knowledge gap, misread requirement, incorrect sequence, unsafe action, or time-management issue. Each category needs a different remedy; rereading a textbook will not fix every type of mistake.
Stage six: make the scheduling decision
Schedule when your evidence shows consistent performance across all four emphasis areas and you can perform core support tasks without step-by-step prompting. Confirm the current appointment options, language availability, exam version, and provider requirements directly before booking.
Next action: select Pearson VUE through CompTIA’s scheduling process and choose either an in-person Pearson VUE center or online OnVUE delivery if the current requirements fit your situation. Keep reviewing weak areas after scheduling, but do not change the exam version accidentally by using mismatched materials.
What mistakes commonly waste preparation time?
The biggest preparation errors are studying an outdated version, treating the exam as vocabulary recall, ignoring less familiar operating systems, and using practice scores as a guarantee. Correct these by verifying the version, performing tasks, keeping an error register, and making scheduling decisions from demonstrated ability.
Mistake: mixing A+ versions
Using Core 1 material from one version and Core 2 material from another creates a planning problem because CompTIA requires both exams to come from the same A+ version. Check every book, video, practice set, and course label before adding it to your study plan.
If a resource does not clearly identify V15 or 220-1202, do not assume alignment. Confirm it against the current official CompTIA information before relying on it.
Mistake: memorizing answers
Memorized answers are fragile when a scenario changes its operating system, user constraint, symptom, or security condition. Learn the diagnostic principle and practise applying it to a new situation. Exam dumps and leaked-question claims are not legitimate substitutes for preparation and cannot guarantee a pass.
When reviewing an item, hide the answer and explain your choice from the scenario evidence. If you cannot do that, classify the item as unresolved even if you selected the correct option.
Mistake: neglecting procedures
Candidates often focus on technical fixes and overlook the operational side of support. Documentation, controlled changes, user impact, security considerations, and verification should appear in your lab records and scenario reviews.
A practical correction is to make every lab end with a short ticket-style summary: what happened, what you found, what you changed, how you verified it, and what remains. This keeps procedures connected to technical work.
Mistake: booking before checking delivery conditions
Selecting an online appointment without confirming the current OnVUE requirements can create avoidable scheduling difficulty. Selecting an in-person appointment without checking the center’s current availability can create a different problem. The official scheduling guidance identifies both delivery routes, but appointment conditions should be confirmed at the time of booking.
Make delivery selection a final planning task, not an assumption made weeks earlier.
What should you do in the final review?
The final review should consolidate weak skills and reduce avoidable mistakes, not introduce an entirely new syllabus. Recheck the current official exam information, review your error register, complete a small number of mixed tasks, and confirm the appointment details through the official scheduling route.
Final review checklist
Confirm that your materials identify A+ Core 2 V15 and 220-1202. Review how you approach Windows, macOS, and Linux management. Rehearse a complete software-troubleshooting cycle. Revisit security decisions and operational documentation. Practise each listed item format without relying on recalled questions.
Also confirm the official testing time of 90 minutes, maximum question count of 90, passing score of 700 on a 900-point scale, and the language and delivery information applicable to your appointment. These are planning facts, not reasons to rush your final preparation.
The day-before decision
The day before the exam, stop expanding your resource collection. Use your existing notes to review recurring errors and high-risk procedures, then protect enough time for rest and appointment preparation. Do not attempt to compensate for a major knowledge gap with indiscriminate question memorization.
If your readiness evidence remains weak in one of the four emphasis areas, consider whether rescheduling is wiser than treating the appointment as a test of hope. Check the provider’s current rules before making any change.
Where should candidates verify current details?
Use CompTIA’s official A+ Core 2 V15 page for exam facts and version status, the official practice-questions page for CompTIA’s preparation material, and CompTIA’s scheduling help for Pearson VUE and OnVUE instructions. The CompTIA Instructors Network can provide an additional V15 resource, but official pages remain the authority for time-sensitive decisions.
Recommended source-check order
First, verify the exam page and confirm that your preparation is for 220-1202. Second, review the official practice questions after you have studied the relevant skills. Third, consult the scheduling guidance when you are ready to book. Finally, use the CIN A+ Core 2 category for supplementary instructor material if it fits your learning method.
Recheck the pages shortly before scheduling because retirement estimates, delivery conditions, and appointment information can change.
Conclusion
220-1202 preparation should end with a demonstrated support workflow, not a larger pile of notes. Confirm the V15 version, build hands-on ability across Windows, macOS, and Linux, combine security with software troubleshooting, and practise the multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based formats identified by CompTIA. Then schedule through Pearson VUE only after your error log shows that your weak areas are controlled. Use the official pages again before booking so your exam code, delivery choice, and current requirements are accurate.
Related exams
- 220-1102 exam — CompTIA A+ Certification Core 2 Exam
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- 220-1201 exam — CompTIA A+ Certification Exam: Core 1