There is a version of the CompTIA A+ exam that no longer exists. It retired in September 2025. If your study materials, YouTube playlists, or practice question sets were created before March 2025, there is a real possibility you are preparing for an exam that has changed in significant ways.
The current CompTIA A+ is the V15 1200 series: exam codes 220-1201 (Core 1) and 220-1202 (Core 2). Released in March 2025 and now the only active version, V15 reflects a meaningful shift in what IT professionals actually do in 2026 — more cloud, more remote support, more scenario-based problem solving, and less focus on legacy hardware that nobody encounters in modern environments.
This guide breaks down exactly what changed, what it means for your study plan, and how to adjust if you have been working from older materials.
The Two-Exam Structure: Core 1 and Core 2
The CompTIA A+ certification has always required passing two separate exams, and that structure continues in V15:
- 220-1201 (Core 1): Hardware, networking fundamentals, mobile devices, virtualization, and cloud computing. This exam leans toward infrastructure and physical IT support scenarios.
- 220-1202 (Core 2): Operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. This exam leans toward software, security practices, and professional skills.
You can take the exams in either order. Most candidates sit Core 1 first because hardware and networking concepts form a useful foundation for understanding the security and OS topics in Core 2, but CompTIA does not require a specific sequence.
What Changed From V14 to V15
1. Expanded Cloud Computing Coverage
This is the most significant change in V15. Cloud computing in V14 was present but relatively surface-level. V15 treats cloud as a core IT support competency, not a bonus topic.
What you now need to understand in depth:
- Service models: IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and SaaS (Software as a Service) — what each model means and which layer of responsibility falls to the IT professional vs. the cloud provider
- Cloud deployment models: Public, private, hybrid, and community clouds
- Cloud-based troubleshooting: Connectivity issues, latency, authentication failures, and service outages in cloud-hosted environments
- Virtualization fundamentals: Hypervisors, virtual machines, containers — understanding the relationship between the virtualization layer and the hardware beneath it
The shift makes sense. Most enterprise IT environments in 2026 are hybrid or fully cloud-based. A+ is meant to certify someone ready for a real help desk or IT support role — and those roles routinely deal with Microsoft 365 issues, AWS-hosted applications, and SaaS platform access problems.
2. Remote Troubleshooting and SaaS Support
V14 treated remote support as a secondary topic. V15 makes it central to Core 2. The modern IT support technician is as likely to be remoting into a user’s machine as they are to be physically sitting beside them — and the exam now reflects that reality.
Key additions and expansions:
- Remote access tools and protocols (RDP, VPN, SSH, remote management platforms)
- Troubleshooting SaaS application access and performance issues
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) support for remote users
- Ticketing systems and documentation practices for remote support workflows
3. AI Considerations — A New Addition
V15 introduces AI as a topic area for the first time in CompTIA A+. This is a light-touch addition rather than a deep technical requirement — the exam is not testing AI engineering. What it does test is awareness of AI-related tools in the IT support context: AI-powered help desk tools, AI-assisted diagnostics, and a basic understanding of how AI is changing IT workflows.
Think of this as awareness-level knowledge: understanding what AI tools do in IT operations, not how to build them.
4. More Scenario-Based Questions
V15 increases the proportion of performance-based questions (PBQs) — questions that present a scenario or simulated environment and ask you to apply knowledge rather than recall a definition. This is not unique to V15; CompTIA has been moving in this direction for years. But V15 accelerates the shift.
The implication for study: memorizing definitions is necessary but not sufficient. You need to be able to reason through a situation. “A user reports they cannot access the company VPN after their company migrated to a new cloud provider — what do you check first?” is the kind of question V15 rewards applied knowledge for.
5. Legacy Hardware Topics Removed
V14 still included content on hardware that is no longer commonly encountered in modern IT environments — older storage interfaces, legacy expansion cards, and deprecated connection types. V15 dropped these topics to make room for the cloud, remote, and AI additions.
If your study materials spend significant time on topics like IDE drives, parallel ports, or legacy BIOS settings with no UEFI context, those materials are from V14 or earlier. Update your resources.
Study Strategy for V15
The most common mistake candidates make with V15 is treating it like a memorization exam. The scenario-based question format rewards a different kind of preparation:
- Study concepts, not just definitions. Understand why IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS have different support responsibilities — do not just memorize the acronyms.
- Practice troubleshooting flows. Walk through real or simulated troubleshooting scenarios. “What would I check first, second, and third?” is the mental model V15 tests.
- Use current study materials. Verify that any book, video course, or question bank you use explicitly covers the 220-1201 and 220-1202 objectives. If it only references 220-1101/1102, it covers V14.
- Get hands-on time with cloud interfaces. Many cloud providers offer free tiers — spending time navigating AWS Free Tier, Microsoft Azure Free Account, or Google Cloud Free Tier gives you genuine intuition for cloud-based troubleshooting questions.
If you want to practice the scenario-based questions that define V15, the Certcy app includes CompTIA A+ practice sets built to the current 220-1201 and 220-1202 objectives, which is a more efficient option than filtering through outdated question banks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still use V14 study guides to prepare for V15?
With caution. Most of the foundational content — hardware, networking, OS fundamentals, security basics — carries over between versions. Where V14 guides will lead you astray is in cloud coverage (significantly expanded in V15), remote support topics, and AI awareness. Use a V14 guide as supplementary material if needed, but anchor your preparation to a resource that explicitly covers the 220-1201 and 220-1202 objectives. The official CompTIA exam objectives document (free on the CompTIA website) is your authoritative reference.
How many questions are on the 220-1201 and 220-1202 exams?
CompTIA states a maximum of 90 questions per exam with a 90-minute time limit. The passing score is 675 on a 100–900 scale. The exact number of questions may vary slightly per session; CompTIA does not publish the precise breakdown by domain. Budget your time accordingly — roughly one minute per question is a reasonable baseline, with more time allocated for performance-based questions.
Does the V15 exam cover specific operating systems or versions?
Yes. Core 2 (220-1202) focuses primarily on Windows, with coverage of macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android as secondary operating systems. For Windows specifically, know the currently supported consumer and enterprise versions — Windows 10 and Windows 11, including their feature differences and upgrade paths. Older Windows versions (7, 8.1) are no longer a focus, reflecting their end-of-support status.
The CompTIA A+ V15 is a better exam than its predecessor in one important way: it tests skills that actually matter in 2026 IT environments. Cloud, remote support, and scenario-based reasoning are not academic additions — they are what IT support roles require every day. Aligning your study to that reality is what separates candidates who pass from those who spend months preparing for the wrong version.
Which part of the V15 changes are you most concerned about in your study plan? Let us know in the comments.
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