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CompTIA A+ Core 1 2026 past questions and answers

This 2026 CompTIA A+ Core 1 set has 20 practice questions. Try these 5 free sample questions, tap a question to reveal the answer and explanation. Then practise the whole 2026 set with instant marking.

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Sample CompTIA A+ Core 1 2026 questions

1. A technician finds that a tablet's battery case is swollen and the display is lifting away from the frame. What should the technician do first?
  1. Press the display back into place and continue charging the tablet
  2. Puncture the battery pouch to release the trapped gas
  3. Power the tablet down, stop using or charging it, and arrange safe battery service
  4. Run a battery calibration utility while the tablet remains plugged in

Answer: C. Power the tablet down, stop using or charging it, and arrange safe battery service

A swollen lithium-ion battery is a safety hazard, so the device should be taken out of service and handled through an approved repair or disposal process. Pressing or puncturing it, or continuing to charge it, can cause a fire or injury.

2. A USB-C tablet charges and recognizes a keyboard connected through a hub, but an external monitor connected to the same hub shows no signal. The monitor and cable work with another device. What is the most likely cause?
  1. The tablet's USB-C port does not support DisplayPort Alternate Mode or another video output mode
  2. The tablet needs a faster USB-C charging adapter
  3. The keyboard is using too much memory on the tablet
  4. The hub must be connected to a wired Ethernet network before video works

Answer: A. The tablet's USB-C port does not support DisplayPort Alternate Mode or another video output mode

A USB-C connector does not by itself guarantee video output; the device must support a display mode such as DisplayPort Alternate Mode. Charging and USB data can work even when video output is unsupported.

3. A Windows laptop connected to a small office network has the address 169.254.34.12 and cannot reach the internet. What is the most likely issue?
  1. The DNS server assigned a public address incorrectly
  2. The laptop did not obtain a lease from a DHCP server
  3. The network switch has converted the address to IPv6
  4. The laptop has connected to a VPN that blocks local traffic

Answer: B. The laptop did not obtain a lease from a DHCP server

A 169.254.x.x address is an IPv4 link-local address that Windows can self-assign when DHCP is unavailable. The first focus should be the DHCP service or the laptop's path to it, not DNS.

4. A workstation can ping 203.0.113.20, but opening the same server by its hostname fails. Other users can resolve the hostname. Which setting should the technician check first on this workstation?
  1. The duplex setting on the network interface
  2. The switch's PoE budget
  3. The workstation's subnet mask only
  4. The DNS server configuration or DNS cache

Answer: D. The DNS server configuration or DNS cache

Successful connectivity to the server's IP but failure by hostname points to name resolution on the workstation. Duplex and PoE settings do not explain this specific difference.

5. An access point is mounted in a ceiling where there is no nearby electrical outlet. Which feature lets it receive both network connectivity and power over one Ethernet cable from a compatible switch?
  1. VLAN tagging
  2. Link aggregation
  3. Power over Ethernet (PoE)
  4. Port mirroring

Answer: C. Power over Ethernet (PoE)

PoE supplies electrical power over Ethernet cabling to a compatible device such as an access point. VLAN tagging separates logical networks but does not power the access point.

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