Training course
This is a free, self-paced reading course for CompTIA A+ — the vendor-neutral first credential for hands-on IT work, and the one hiring managers look for when filling help desk, desktop support, field service, and technical support roles. A+ is unusual in that it takes two exams: Core 1 (220-1201) covers hardware, networking, mobile devices, and cloud fundamentals, and Core 2 (220-1202) covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and professional procedures. This course covers both, in one place, in the order CompTIA publishes them.
The course is organized as one module per official exam domain — five for Core 1, four for Core 2, nine in total — and each module carries the domain’s published weight. That structure matters more on A+ than on most exams, because the weighting is uneven in ways that are easy to misjudge. Hardware and Network Troubleshooting alone is 28% of Core 1, and Hardware another 25%; on Core 2 nothing drops below 21%, so there is no domain you can safely skip. Reading in weight order keeps your study time proportional to what the exams actually ask, and each module ends with its key terms and suggested further reading so the course works as a reference on a second pass.
What the course covers
Mobile Devices
Module 1 · Core 1 · 13%Laptops, tablets, and phones as physical machines — swapping batteries, displays, and antennas; configuring Bluetooth, NFC, and docking accessories; and getting cellular, Wi-Fi, and synchronization settings right for the users who live on these devices.
Networking
Module 2 · Core 1 · 23%The connectivity layer every support ticket eventually touches: TCP versus UDP and the well-known ports, wireless standards, the services running on networked hosts — DHCP, DNS, file and print — common networking hardware, and configuring a small office/home office network end to end.
Hardware
Module 3 · Core 1 · 25%The physical craft of the job: cables and connectors, RAM types, storage devices from NVMe to RAID, motherboards, CPUs, and power supplies — plus printers and multifunction devices, which remain the great humbler of IT professionals everywhere.
Virtualization and Cloud Computing
Module 4 · Core 1 · 11%The smallest domain on either exam, but a fast-growing part of the role: cloud models and characteristics, client-side virtualization, and the purposes of virtual machines — the concepts a technician needs when the computer being supported does not physically exist.
Hardware and Network Troubleshooting
Module 5 · Core 1 · 28%The largest domain in Core 1, because it is the essence of the job: diagnosing failing drives, RAM, and power issues; video, projector, and display problems; mobile device faults; printer misbehavior; and wired and wireless network symptoms — always in scenario form, asking what you would check next.
Operating Systems
Module 6 · Core 2 · 28%Windows editions, installations, and upgrades headline this domain — through Windows 11 — alongside macOS and Linux fundamentals, command-line tools, and the control panels and settings a technician navigates dozens of times a day.
Security
Module 7 · Core 2 · 28%Security at the endpoint, where users actually get compromised: malware types and removal, social engineering, authentication and permissions, wireless security, workstation and mobile hardening, and the physical and logical controls that protect a small environment.
Software Troubleshooting
Module 8 · Core 2 · 23%When the hardware is fine but nothing works: diagnosing Windows operating system problems, resolving application crashes, cleaning up malware infections in the proper sequence of steps, and untangling mobile operating system and app issues.
Operational Procedures
Module 9 · Core 2 · 21%The professional wrapper around the technical work: documentation and ticketing, change management, backup and recovery, safety and environmental practices, privacy and licensing basics, scripting fundamentals, remote access technologies, and communicating with the human attached to the broken machine.
How to use it
Read one Core at a time rather than all nine modules straight through. Because the two exams are scheduled, paid for, and passed separately, the most efficient plan is usually to finish modules 1–5, sit Core 1, then come back for modules 6–9 and sit Core 2 — taking them in either order is allowed, but both passes have to come from the same version series. After each module, work the matching questions in the two full-length Core mocks on the A+ certification guide instead of waiting until you have read everything.
Both exams lean heavily on performance-based and scenario questions that ask what you would check next, which is a different skill from recalling what a term means — so pair the reading with a machine you are willing to open, a spare drive, and a router you can reconfigure. For exam logistics, including the different cut scores for the two Cores (675 for Core 1, 700 for Core 2 on a 900-point scale), question formats, and version timelines, see the A+ certification guide.
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Frequently asked questions about the A+ training course
Is the A+ training course free?
Yes. The course is free to read and requires no signup or account. It is funded by the same practice-exam catalogue it sits alongside.
Does the course cover both Core 1 and Core 2?
Yes. There is one module per official exam domain across both exams — modules 1 through 5 are Core 1 (220-1201), modules 6 through 9 are Core 2 (220-1202) — each carrying the weight CompTIA publishes for that domain. You do not need a separate course for the second exam.
Does this replace CompTIA’s official training?
No. The complete official exam objectives are published by CompTIA and are the authoritative source for what is testable; download them from comptia.org and study against them. This course is an independent study companion written to be read quickly and to slot alongside practice questions.
Do I need IT experience before starting?
There are no formal prerequisites for A+. CompTIA recommends about 12 months of hands-on IT support experience, but nothing stops you from registering without it, and the course does not assume you already have it — it starts from the hardware and works up.
What should I do after finishing the course?
Work the full-length Core 1 and Core 2 mocks on the A+ certification guide under timed conditions until you are clearing every domain consistently rather than leaning on your strong ones, then schedule the two exams. After A+, the usual next step is Network+, then Security+ or Linux+.
Is the course current with the latest A+ objectives?
The course is built against the V15 series — Core 1 220-1201 and Core 2 220-1202 — which launched in March 2025. Retirement is estimated around 2028 on CompTIA’s usual three-year cycle, but that date is not guaranteed. CompTIA can revise the objectives at any time; verify the current version and objectives on CompTIA’s official website before you schedule.
Trademark notice & independence. Certifym.net is operated by Certifym Exam Services, LLC and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA, Inc. CompTIA® and A+® are registered trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. Use of these marks is solely to identify the certification for which these study materials are intended. The 220-1201 and 220-1202 exam objectives, including the domain titles and weightings referenced above, are the copyrighted property of CompTIA, Inc.; candidates should download the complete, official objectives directly from CompTIA at comptia.org.
All course content, questions, answers, and explanations on Certifym are original content created for study purposes. They are not actual CompTIA training materials or examination questions and are not represented as such. Studying with these materials does not guarantee a passing result on any live certification exam. Exam requirements, format, domain weights, scoring, and version timelines are set by CompTIA and may change; always verify current details on CompTIA’s official website before scheduling your exams.