This CompTIA A+ cheat sheet distills both core exams — 220-1201 and 220-1202 — into a quick-recall rundown of the facts examiners test most. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Reinforce it with the rest of your free A+ toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
CompTIA A+ exam at a glance
- Certifying body: CompTIA (current V15 series)
- Exams required: Two: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) — pass both
- Questions & time: Maximum 90 questions and 90 minutes per exam
- Passing score: Core 1: 675 · Core 2: 700 (scaled 100–900)
- Cost: About $253–$265 per exam voucher (roughly $506–$530 for both)
- Validity: 3 years; renew with 20 CEUs or a higher CompTIA cert
What’s on the CompTIA A+ cheat sheet
- Hardware & Network Troubleshooting — Core 1 (28%) — the six-step methodology plus symptom-to-cause maps for power, storage, display, and network faults.
- Hardware — Core 1 (25%) — RAM (DDR5, SODIMM, ECC), storage and RAID 0/1/5/10, motherboards, CPUs, BIOS/UEFI, power, and printers.
- Networking — Core 1 (23%) — TCP/IP addressing, APIPA, the well-known ports and protocols, switches vs routers, and Wi-Fi security.
- Mobile Devices — Core 1 (13%) — laptop field-replaceable parts, connectivity (Bluetooth, NFC, hotspot), IMAP vs POP3, and MDM.
- Virtualization & Cloud — Core 1 (11%) — Type 1 vs Type 2 hypervisors and the IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS service models.
- Operating Systems — Core 2 (28%) — Windows editions, command line and admin tools, file systems (NTFS, FAT32, exFAT), macOS, and Linux.
- Security — Core 2 (28%) — the CIA triad, malware types, social engineering, WPA3 wireless, authentication, and MFA.
- Software Troubleshooting — Core 2 (23%) — OS and application symptoms, the malware-removal steps, and mobile/security troubleshooting.
- Operational Procedures — Core 2 (21%) — safety (ESD, SDS), the 3-2-1 backup rule, change management, and documentation.
How to use it in your final week
- Split your final week by core: spend the heaviest sessions on Hardware & Network Troubleshooting (28% of Core 1) and on Operating Systems and Security (28% each on Core 2).
- Drill the well-known ports until they're reflex — 22 SSH, 53 DNS, 80/443 HTTP/HTTPS, 445 SMB, 3389 RDP — and always pick the encrypted option when a question offers both.
- Rehearse the six-step troubleshooting methodology in order; scenario questions give a symptom and ask for the correct NEXT step, so know exactly where each step falls.
- Read the sheet cold the morning of each exam, then take a short timed practice set (up to 90 questions in 90 minutes) so your pacing and PBQ handling feel routine.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your CompTIA A+ practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
CompTIA A+ cheat sheet FAQ
Yes — the CompTIA A+ cheat sheet is a free PDF download with no sign-up. It sits alongside Career Employer's free A+ practice test, study guide, and flashcards, so you can cram the facts and then test whether they stuck.
Yes. The sheet is split by exam: Core 1 (220-1201) covers hardware, networking, mobile, virtualization and cloud, and troubleshooting; Core 2 (220-1202) covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. You must pass both cores to earn the single A+ credential.
No — the cheat sheet is a fast-recall layer, not a full course. Core 1 needs a scaled 675 and Core 2 a scaled 700 (on 100–900), and both include performance-based questions that reward hands-on practice, so pair the sheet with the practice test to build real readiness.
It maps to the current V15 series — 220-1201 and 220-1202 — which launched March 25, 2025 and replaced the older 220-1101/1102 exams. We review the facts against CompTIA's published objectives so the port numbers, weights, and scores stay accurate.
Click the download button or the preview card at the top of this page to open the PDF instantly. Bookmark the page so you can pull it up again the morning of each core exam for a final memory pass.
References
- 1.CompTIA. “A+ Core 1 and Core 2 (V15) Certification — domains, weights, and scoring.” comptia.org, 2026. ↑
- 2.CompTIA. “A+ 220-1201 (Core 1) Exam Objectives, V15.” comptia.org. ↑
- 3.CompTIA. “A+ 220-1202 (Core 2) Exam Objectives, V15.” comptia.org. ↑
- 4.CompTIA. “Continuing Education and Certification Renewal (CEUs).” comptia.org. ↑
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