If you want to start an IT support or help-desk career, CompTIA A+ is one of the most useful entry-level certifications to consider.
The good news is that you do not need to buy an expensive A+ preparation course. There are excellent free resources available for the current A+ exams, including a complete free video course from Professor Messer, study-group replays, practice questions, and the official CompTIA exam objectives.
There is one important distinction:
You can study for CompTIA A+ for free, but the A+ certification exams themselves normally require payment.
Also, A+ is a two-exam certification. The current exams are 220-1201 (Core 1) and 220-1202 (Core 2), also known as A+ V15. They were released on March 25, 2025.
Quick Answer: Best Free CompTIA A+ Resources
| Resource | Best for | Cost |
| Professor Messer 220-1201 | Core 1 video training | Free |
| Professor Messer 220-1202 | Core 2 video training | Free |
| CompTIA Exam Objectives | Official syllabus | Free |
| Professor Messer Study Groups | Exam questions + revision | Free |
| Professor Messer Pop Quizzes | Daily practice | Free |
| CompTIA official resources | Exam information | Free |
| Your own PC/lab | Hands-on practice | Free/low cost |
| Paid practice exams | Final exam preparation | Optional |
If you want a $0 study plan, I’d use CompTIA’s objectives + Professor Messer’s complete V15 videos + free quizzes + hands-on practice.
1. Make Sure You’re Studying the Current A+ Exams
This is extremely important.
Don’t accidentally study an old A+ course.
The current version is:
Core 1 → 220-1201
Core 2 → 220-1202
Together, these are A+ V15. The previous 220-1101/220-1102 English exams retired in September 2025.
Professor Messer specifically recommends using materials written for the latest exam because there are significant differences between exam versions.
So when searching YouTube, avoid relying on:
“CompTIA A+ 220-1001”
or
“CompTIA A+ 220-1101”
unless you’re using an individual video simply to understand a timeless concept.
Your main preparation should say 220-1201 / 220-1202.
2. Get the Official CompTIA Exam Objectives
Before starting the videos, download the official A+ exam objectives from CompTIA.
This is your syllabus.
Don’t study A+ by randomly watching videos.
Instead:
Exam Objective → Learn Topic → Practice Topic → Check Objective
The objectives tell you what CompTIA expects you to know.
Create a checklist and mark each topic:
- ❌ Don’t know
- 🟡 Understand basics
- 🟢 Can explain
- 🔵 Can troubleshoot
Your goal is to turn every important objective into green or blue.
3. Use Professor Messer’s Free Core 1 Course
This is probably the best free A+ training resource available.
Professor Messer currently provides a complete 220-1201 Core 1 V15 video course for free.
The course contains 63 videos with a total runtime of about 10 hours and 11 minutes, and it covers the topics from the CompTIA A+ exam objectives.
Professor Messer — Free A+ 220-1201 Core 1 Training
This is an excellent starting point because you don’t have to search YouTube for individual topics.
The course is already organized.
4. Then Complete Core 2
After Core 1, move to 220-1202.
Professor Messer’s current Core 2 course contains 74 videos with approximately 13 hours and 41 minutes of total runtime.
Professor Messer — Free A+ 220-1202 Core 2 Training
The Core 2 course covers areas such as:
- Operating systems
- Security
- Software troubleshooting
- Operational procedures
- IT support concepts
Professor Messer states that the free videos cover the current exam objectives.
5. Understand What Core 1 and Core 2 Mean
A simple way to think about the two exams:
Core 1 — Hardware + Networking
Core 1 focuses heavily on things such as:
- Mobile devices
- Networking
- Hardware
- Virtualization
- Cloud computing
- Hardware troubleshooting
You should be comfortable with:
Motherboards → CPUs → RAM → Storage → Power supplies → Networking → Wireless → Troubleshooting
Core 2 — Operating Systems + Security + Support
Core 2 focuses more on:
- Operating systems
- Security
- Software troubleshooting
- Operational procedures
You should understand:
Windows → Linux → macOS → Security → Malware → User support → Troubleshooting → Professional procedures
This distinction makes the two exams much easier to organize in your head.
6. Don’t Just Watch the Videos
This is probably the biggest mistake beginners make.
Watching 23 hours of A+ videos doesn’t mean you know A+.
Use this process:
Watch
Learn one topic.
↓
Pause
Write down the important concepts.
↓
Explain
Try to explain the concept without looking at your notes.
↓
Practice
Answer questions about it.
↓
Troubleshoot
Ask yourself what you would do if something failed.
For example, don’t just memorize:
“DHCP assigns IP addresses.”
Ask:
“A computer has a 169.254.x.x address. What could be happening?”
That moves you toward the troubleshooting mindset expected from an IT support technician.
7. Learn Hardware Properly
If you’re completely new to IT, spend extra time on hardware.
You should understand:
CPU
- Processor cores
- Clock speed
- Architecture
- Cooling
RAM
- DDR generations
- SO-DIMM
- DIMM
- Capacity
- Compatibility
Storage
Understand the difference between:
- HDD
- SATA SSD
- NVMe SSD
Motherboards
Learn:
- Chipsets
- Expansion slots
- RAM slots
- CPU sockets
- M.2
- SATA connectors
Power
Understand:
- PSU
- Wattage
- Connectors
- Power problems
The goal isn’t to memorize specifications.
You should be able to look at a computer problem and reason:
“What component is most likely causing this?”
8. Practice Networking
Networking is one of the most important areas for an entry-level IT technician.
Learn:
- IPv4
- IPv6
- MAC addresses
- DNS
- DHCP
- NAT
- TCP/IP
- Ports
- Ethernet
- Wi-Fi
- Routers
- Switches
- Access points
- Firewalls
Know common ports such as:
| Port | Service |
| 20/21 | FTP |
| 22 | SSH |
| 23 | Telnet |
| 25 | SMTP |
| 53 | DNS |
| 80 | HTTP |
| 110 | POP3 |
| 143 | IMAP |
| 443 | HTTPS |
| 3389 | RDP |
Don’t merely memorize them.
Understand what each service actually does.
9. Build a Small Home IT Lab
You don’t need expensive equipment.
Your existing computer can become your lab.
Try:
Windows
Practice:
- User accounts
- Task Manager
- Device Manager
- Disk Management
- Event Viewer
- Services
- Windows networking commands
Linux
Install a Linux virtual machine using software such as VirtualBox or another virtualization platform.
Practice:
- File navigation
- Permissions
- Users
- Processes
- Networking
- Package management
- Basic commands
Networking
Use commands such as:
ipconfig
ping
tracert
nslookup
netstat
Try troubleshooting your own network.
For example:
Internet isn’t working.
Work through:
Physical connection → IP address → Gateway → DNS → Internet connectivity
This is much more useful than memorizing troubleshooting flowcharts.
10. Use Professor Messer’s Free Study Groups
Professor Messer also provides monthly A+ study-group sessions.
These are excellent for revision because they use questions and explanations rather than simply teaching another course.
The current archive includes 220-1201 and 220-1202 study-group sessions from 2026.
Professor Messer A+ Study Groups
Use them after you’ve completed the corresponding video lessons.
For example:
Finish Core 1 videos
↓
Watch Core 1 study-group replay
↓
Write down weak areas
↓
Review those topics
This is much more effective than watching study groups before learning the fundamentals.
11. Use the Free Daily A+ Pop Quizzes
Professor Messer also provides free A+ pop quizzes.
These are useful for keeping your knowledge active while studying.
The current site includes separate quizzes for:
- 220-1201
- 220-1202
and the archive is regularly updated.
Professor Messer Free A+ Training
You could make this a daily habit:
10–15 minutes of A+ questions every day.
When you get something wrong, don’t just memorize the correct answer.
Go back to the relevant objective.
12. Learn Troubleshooting, Not Just Definitions
A+ is fundamentally about IT support and troubleshooting.
So when studying a technology, ask three questions:
1. What is it?
Example:
DHCP
2. What does it do?
Automatically provides network configuration information.
3. What happens when it fails?
A device may fail to obtain a normal IP address.
This approach makes the material much easier to remember.
13. Your 8-Week Free A+ Study Plan
If you’re starting from zero, I’d recommend approximately 8 weeks.
Professor Messer notes that many students take around three to four months to complete both exams, depending on experience and study time.
But a more intensive learner can study faster.
Week 1
Hardware fundamentals
- CPUs
- Motherboards
- RAM
- Storage
- Power
Week 2
Mobile devices + networking
- Wi-Fi
- Ethernet
- TCP/IP
- DNS
- DHCP
- Ports
Week 3
Virtualization + cloud + hardware troubleshooting
Week 4
Core 1 revision + practice questions
Then move to Core 2.
Week 5
Operating systems
- Windows
- Linux
- macOS
- Mobile operating systems
Week 6
Security
- Malware
- Authentication
- Encryption
- Network security
- Social engineering
Week 7
Software troubleshooting + operational procedures
Week 8
Full revision + practice questions + weak areas
14. Don’t Try to Learn Everything at Once
A+ has a huge amount of terminology.
Instead, organize it into categories.
For example:
Hardware
CPU → RAM → Storage → Motherboard → PSU
Networking
IP → DNS → DHCP → NAT → Ports → Protocols
Security
Malware → Authentication → Encryption → Firewalls → Social Engineering
Operating systems
Windows → Linux → macOS → Mobile
This makes revision much easier.
15. What Free Materials Are Actually Missing?
There is one important limitation with a completely free preparation strategy.
Professor Messer provides the full video course for free, but some of his more comprehensive course notes and practice exams are paid products. His site clearly separates the free videos, study groups, pop quizzes, and premium notes/practice exams.
So you don’t have to buy them.
You can replace them with:
- Your own notes
- Official CompTIA objectives
- Free pop quizzes
- Study-group replays
- Your own lab
- Free online technical documentation
- Your own practice questions
That can still produce a strong preparation system.
Can You Get the CompTIA A+ Certification Completely Free?
This is where you need to be careful.
Free training: Yes.
Free study materials: Yes.
Free practice resources: Yes.
Free certification exam: Generally no.
The A+ credential requires passing both Core 1 and Core 2.
So don’t believe websites offering:
“Official CompTIA A+ certificate completely free — download now.”
Those aren’t legitimate ways to earn the certification.
Your objective should be:
$0 preparation + legitimate exam voucher when you’re ready.
If your school, employer, workforce-development program, or another organization offers certification funding, that can potentially cover the exam cost.
16. Don’t Use Old A+ Courses as Your Main Resource
This is especially important in 2026.
The current A+ version is 220-1201 + 220-1202.
Professor Messer’s current V15 courses were released for those exams, and he specifically warns that there are significant changes between exam versions.
Therefore:
Good:
CompTIA A+ 220-1201
Good:
CompTIA A+ 220-1202
Be careful:
CompTIA A+ 220-1101
Avoid using as your main preparation:
CompTIA A+ 220-1001
Older videos can still help explain timeless concepts, but your exam preparation should follow the current objectives.
Best Free CompTIA A+ Resources
🥇 Professor Messer — Core 1
Complete 63-video course, covering the current Core 1 objectives.
🥇 Professor Messer — Core 2
Complete 74-video course, covering the current Core 2 objectives.
🥈 Official CompTIA Exam Objectives
Use these as your master checklist.
🥉 Professor Messer Study Groups
Free A+ Study Group Archive — useful for Q&A and revision.
⭐ Free Pop Quizzes
Use these regularly to test your recall.
Final Verdict
If your goal is CompTIA A+ certification with free training materials, you can build a surprisingly complete study system without buying a course.
I’d use this exact sequence:
Official CompTIA Exam Objectives
↓
Professor Messer 220-1201
↓
Hardware + Networking Practice
↓
Core 1 Revision
↓
Professor Messer 220-1202
↓
Operating Systems + Security Practice
↓
Core 2 Revision
↓
Daily Pop Quizzes
↓
Study Group Replays
↓
Hands-on Home Lab
↓
Final Objective-by-Objective Review
↓
Take Core 1
↓
Take Core 2
The biggest advantage of this approach is that you’re not just memorizing A+ answers. You’re actually developing the troubleshooting skills expected in entry-level IT support.
And if you’re starting completely from zero, don’t rush. Two to four months for both exams is a perfectly reasonable target, depending on how much time you can study. Professor Messer also reports that three to four months is a common timeframe for students completing both exams.
One final recommendation: make sure every resource you use says 220-1201 / 220-1202 (V15) before you rely on it. That’s the easiest way to avoid studying an outdated A+ syllabus.