What Is CompTIA A+ Core 2? The 220-1202 Exam, Explained

CompTIA A+ Core 2 is the software half of the CompTIA A+ certification. The current exam is 220-1202, part of the A+ V15 series, and it covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting and the operational side of IT support: documentation, change management, backups, safety, professionalism, and, new in this version, the basics of artificial intelligence. You get a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, and you pass at 700 on a scale of 100 to 900.

Core 2 does not earn you anything by itself. A+ is one credential that takes two passes, Core 2 and Core 1 (220-1201), from the same version. This post is the map of the Core 2 exam. Each section gives you the short answer and points to the post in this series that takes the topic apart.

CompTIA A+ Core 2 in one table

These figures come from CompTIA's Core 2 exam page and the official V15 exam objectives document (Version 4.0).

Two rows deserve a comment. Performance-based questions put you in front of a simulated task, such as configuring a setting or putting steps in order, instead of a list of facts. CompTIA does not say how many appear on a given exam, so ignore anyone who quotes you a number.

The Windows row is narrower than it looks. The objectives cover Windows 10 and Windows 11, tied to versions that are still within Microsoft's Mainstream Support. In practice that means you study both, because a question can be set on either.

CompTIA lists the exam's retirement as "usually three years after launch (estimated 2028)". No successor has been announced, so 220-1202 is the exam to prepare for.

Why is Core 2 only half of A+?

CompTIA built A+ as two exams with one credential at the end. You book, sit and pass Core 1 and Core 2 separately, each with its own score report, and the certification arrives once both are done. CompTIA says you can take them in any order.

The one hard rule is version matching. CompTIA's wording is that "Core 1 and Core 2 exams must be taken from the same version, no mixing allowed." A pass on 220-1202 pairs only with 220-1201. The old 220-1101/1102 (V14) English exams retired on September 25, 2025, so if you are starting now, both of your exams are V15.

Core 1 is the hardware and networking half: mobile devices, networking, hardware, virtualization and cloud, and hardware and network troubleshooting. The overview of that exam is in what is CompTIA A+ Core 1. If you have not decided which to sit first, A+ Core 1 vs Core 2 works through the order and the spacing between them.

How are the 220-1202 domains weighted?

The objectives document splits Core 2 into four domains and 36 objectives. The weights tell you roughly how much of the scored exam each domain represents.

Read the table from the right-hand column, not the left. Operating Systems and Security tie for the top weight, together 56% of the exam, and each spreads that weight over 11 objectives: Windows editions and settings, command-line tools, macOS and Linux features, application installs, cloud productivity tools, malware, social engineering, wireless security, data destruction and browser settings.

Software Troubleshooting is the odd one. It has only four objectives but 23% of the weight, so a lot of the exam rides on each of those four. All four are "given a scenario" troubleshooting tasks: Windows problems, mobile OS and app problems, mobile security problems, and PC security problems. You cannot learn them as a list. You learn them by working symptoms back to causes.

Operational Procedures is the smallest domain at 21%, but it holds ten objectives: documentation, change management, backups, safety, environmental controls, licensing and privacy, communication and professionalism, remote access, scripting, and AI. Its questions usually want one procedural answer, such as which backup scheme fits a scenario, or what you do first when a customer's machine holds content you should not have seen.

Against the previous version, the weights moved a little: Operating Systems dropped from 31% to 28%, Security rose from 25% to 28%, Software Troubleshooting went from 22% to 23%, and Operational Procedures went from 22% to 21%. Security gaining ground is the shift that matters for your study time. For a plain-English walk through every domain and objective, read A+ Core 2 domains explained.

What does the AI objective on Core 2 test?

Objective 4.10 reads "Explain basic concepts related to artificial intelligence (AI)." It arrived with V15 and sits inside the 21% Operational Procedures domain. CompTIA gives no weight for individual objectives, so there is no honest way to say how many AI questions you will see.

The objective stays practical. It does not ask how models are built. It covers where AI shows up in support work, appropriate-use policy, limitations such as bias and hallucinations, and which data may go into which tool. That last part is the likeliest scenario: a technician pastes customer records into a public chatbot for a quick answer, and the correct reading is that the data has left the organization, whatever the chatbot said back. The domains post breaks 4.10 down area by area.

Our opinion: 4.10 is a small objective, but it is cheap points. If your study notes or your colleague's old flashcards were built for 220-1102, they have nothing on it, and an afternoon closes the gap.

Does Core 2 ask for a higher score than Core 1?

Yes. Core 1 passes at 675 and Core 2 at 700, both on a 100 to 900 scaled score. Scaled means 700 is not a percentage, and you cannot turn it into a count of questions you are allowed to miss.

A higher bar does not settle which exam will be harder for you. Core 2's weight sits in judgment calls: which tool, which setting, which step comes first. How hard is A+ Core 2 looks at the scaled score, the backgrounds that struggle with it, and the question styles that cost candidates points.

What do the Core 2 voucher and retakes cost?

One A+ voucher costs US$274 at CompTIA's list price, and the same voucher type redeems for either Core 1 or Core 2. Because the credential takes two passes, you need two vouchers: US$548 for both exams at list. CompTIA also sells a voucher with Retake Assurance at US$359 per exam, plus several bundles. These are U.S. prices; CompTIA prices vary by country.

Retakes are paid. There is no waiting period between your first and second attempt, then at least 14 calendar days before a third or later attempt, and CompTIA does not discount retakes. Vouchers are valid for 12 months from purchase. Fees, bundles, booking and what happens on exam day are covered in A+ Core 2 exam cost.

Who can sit Core 2, and what happens after A+?

There is no eligibility gate. CompTIA recommends 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support specialist role, but it is a recommendation, and you can book Core 2 without it.

Once you hold A+, which is once you have passed both cores, it is valid for three years. To keep it you earn 20 continuing education units in that cycle and pay a CE fee of $75 for the three-year period. You can also renew without the fee by passing a higher CompTIA certification that fully renews A+. Network+ is one of them. A+ Core 2 requirements and renewal lists the full set of routes, the 30-day grace period, and what does not count.

What should you study first for Core 2?

Start with the weights. Operating Systems and Security deserve the first and largest blocks of time, then the four troubleshooting objectives, which reuse what you learned in the first two domains. Operational Procedures, including 4.10, leans on the rest least, so it can run alongside them. The A+ Core 2 study plan turns that into a week-by-week schedule.

Then practice the question styles, not only the facts. Core 2 questions often give you two answers that would both work and ask for the one that comes first or fits the scenario best. A+ Core 2 practice questions, walked through shows how that reasoning goes on real-style items.

If you want one book built around the 36 objectives, the CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Study Guide 2026 has a section for each objective, numbered to match CompTIA's list, so you can go straight to the one you are weak on.

And if you are still deciding whether the whole credential is worth two exams and two vouchers, is CompTIA A+ worth it makes that case on its merits.

FAQ

What is the passing score for CompTIA A+ Core 2?

Core 2 (220-1202) passes at 700 on a scaled score of 100 to 900. That is 25 points higher than Core 1, which passes at 675. Because the score is scaled, 700 does not translate into a fixed percentage of correct answers.

How many questions are on the A+ Core 2 exam?

A maximum of 90, in 90 minutes. They mix multiple-choice (single and multiple response), drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions. CompTIA does not publish how many of each type you will get.

Is AI really on the A+ Core 2 exam?

Yes. Objective 4.10, "Explain basic concepts related to artificial intelligence (AI)", is part of the V15 Core 2 objectives, inside the Operational Procedures domain. It covers AI integration, appropriate-use policy, limitations such as bias and hallucinations, and private versus public data.

Do I get a certificate for passing only Core 2?

No. The A+ certification is awarded only once you pass both Core 1 and Core 2. A single pass is half of the credential.

Studying for 220-1202? The CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Study Guide 2026 gives each of the 36 Core 2 objectives a short chapter with Exam Tips, Common Pitfalls and Key Takeaways, plus 152 practice questions with every answer and distractor explained, worked performance-based drills, and a glossary.

Simply Certified is an independent publisher. A+, Network+ and CompTIA are trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. Our books are independent study material and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA.