Prepare for AZ-900 by reviewing cloud concepts, Azure architecture and services, and management and governance. Use Microsoft's current skills list to find gaps, then practice explaining the purpose of each service and the requirements in a scenario. This guide includes a worked shared-responsibility example and a preparation checklist.
Who is Azure Fundamentals for?
Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certifies foundational knowledge of cloud concepts in general and Microsoft Azure in particular, at beginner level.
The credential covers Azure compute, networking, storage, and the features used to secure, govern, and administer Azure. Microsoft presents it as a starting point for learning Azure.
The audience profile describes an IT background such as infrastructure, databases, or software development. Use that profile to assess preparation needs; it is not a stated requirement to hold a prior certification. The skills list emphasizes describing and comparing concepts and capabilities.
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.: Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals - Certifications | Microsoft Learn — Certification overview, exam logistics, and language list; Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn — Skills measured as of July 20, 2026
What to study in each skill area
The current English skills list is dated July 20, 2026. Use its three areas and your knowledge gaps together to plan preparation.
The percentages are official ranges, not exact question counts or fixed study-hour allocations. The skills list provides detailed tasks and examples; related topics may also be covered.
English updates come first. Localized versions are generally updated about eight weeks later, but timing can vary. Check the guidance for your booked language. If the exam is unavailable in your preferred language, Microsoft describes a process to request additional time.
| Skill area | Weight range | Topics and suggested practice |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud concepts | 25–30% | Cloud models, consumption-based pricing, serverless, cloud benefits, and IaaS/PaaS/SaaS. Explain the responsibilities in the worked example and compare the stated needs of two fictional workloads. |
| Azure architecture and services | 35–40% | Regions and zones, resource hierarchy, compute, networking, storage and migration, Entra identity, access, and security. Sketch a small Azure environment and explain the purpose of its components. |
| Azure management and governance | 30–35% | Costs and tags; Purview, Policy, and locks; portal, shells, CLI, PowerShell, Arc, ARM and infrastructure as code; Advisor, Service Health, and Monitor. Match a stated management need to a listed capability, checking its documentation. |
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.: Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn — Skills measured as of July 20, 2026
Practice: what changes when you move from IaaS to PaaS?
Moving to a managed platform changes some operational responsibilities. It does not transfer every security responsibility to Microsoft.
Microsoft's shared-responsibility guidance identifies Azure Virtual Machines as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), where the customer manages the guest OS and applications. Azure App Service is a platform as a service (PaaS) example, where Microsoft manages the underlying operating system.
Microsoft manages physical datacenters, hosts, and physical networks in both models. Customers retain responsibilities for their data, identities, configuration, and access controls. Some application, network, and client-device responsibilities vary or are shared by service model.
Use the scenario below to practice the distinction. Microsoft describes its responsibility matrix as governance guidance; it does not modify the terms of a customer agreement.
One worked exercise teaches the shared responsibility model using Microsoft's official responsibility guidance.
A small team runs a legacy web application on an Azure Virtual Machine, managing the guest operating system and the application code themselves. They are considering moving the application to Azure App Service. Using the shared responsibility model, answer three questions: (a) Who manages the physical datacenter, hosts, and physical network under each option? (b) Who manages the operating system under each option? (c) Does the move change who is responsible for the team's data, user accounts, and access controls?
Try the three questions before reading the answer and explanation.
(a) Microsoft manages the physical infrastructure under both options. (b) The team manages the guest operating system with the virtual machine; after the move to App Service, Microsoft manages the operating system. (c) No, those responsibilities stay with the team.
The VM option is IaaS: the team manages its guest OS. App Service is PaaS: Microsoft manages the platform OS. In both cases Microsoft manages the physical infrastructure. The team still needs to manage its data, user accounts, and access controls. The proposed move alone does not establish that the application or its settings are secure.
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.: Shared responsibility in the cloud - Microsoft Azure | Microsoft Learn — Responsibility matrix and always-retained responsibilities
Your preparation checklist
Use the current skills, Microsoft Learn training, the practice assessment, and the sandbox to find and address gaps.
For each practice error, review the explanation and linked documentation. Write down why the answer fits the stated requirement and which assumptions would change it. Avoid a rule that chooses a service from one cue word alone.
A practice assessment helps identify topics to revisit. Its questions are examples, not actual exam questions, and it does not reproduce exam length or complexity or replace learning and experience.
- Compare your books or courses with the July 20, 2026 English skills list and check your exam language.
- Mark topics you can explain and topics needing further study.
- Work the shared-responsibility example before reading its answer.
- Review the current documentation for services you find easy to confuse.
- Take the official practice assessment and follow the explanations for mistakes.
- Explore the exam sandbox and review break and navigation rules.
- Request accommodations in advance when needed and check booking details.
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.: Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals - Certifications | Microsoft Learn — Certification overview, exam logistics, and language list; Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn — Skills measured as of July 20, 2026; Practice Assessments for Microsoft Certifications | Microsoft Learn — Scope and limitations of practice assessments
What to expect on the exam
AZ-900 gives you 45 minutes of exam time within a 65-minute seat booking, is proctored, and passes at a scaled score of 700 or greater.
The 65-minute seat time includes the 45-minute assessment plus instructions, the candidate agreement, and comments. The standard exam duration already includes the additional five minutes Microsoft provides for possible breaks; do not add another five minutes to 45.
Microsoft does not publish a fixed question count for this attempt. Its general guidance says most certification exams contain 40–60 questions, with variation. The exam sandbox demonstrates possible question types and the interface, not a guaranteed item mix.
The passing score is 700 on a scale of 1–1,000. It is scaled, not a raw 70% requirement. Some questions may be unscored and are not identified. Incorrect answers do not deduct points, so answer each question.
If you take a break, the clock continues. You cannot return to questions you viewed before the break, including unanswered or flagged questions. Review those items before beginning a break.
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.: Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals - Certifications | Microsoft Learn — Certification overview, exam logistics, and language list; Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn — Skills measured as of July 20, 2026; Exam duration and exam experience | Microsoft Learn — Fundamentals exam duration table and Microsoft Learn access policy; Exam scoring and score reports | Microsoft Learn — Scaled scoring and guessing policy
Booking and retakes
Schedule through Pearson VUE (or Certiport if you are a student or educator), expect a price based on your proctoring region, and know the retake waits before you book.
The exam is priced based on the country or region in which it is proctored, so check the current local price on the exam page rather than relying on a secondhand figure. Microsoft strongly recommends registering with a personal MSA account: if you register with an organizational work or school account, your exam records can be lost and unrecoverable if you leave that organization.
After a first failure, wait 24 hours before a second attempt. A 14-day wait applies between later attempts, with at most five attempts in a 12-month period from the first. Pay the retake fee where applicable. Check the current policy and appointment instructions before booking.
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.: Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals - Certifications | Microsoft Learn — Certification overview, exam logistics, and language list; Exam and Applied Skills assessment lab retake policies | Microsoft Learn — 24-hour, 14-day, and 5-attempt rules
All exam facts are drawn from official Microsoft Learn pages: the certification page, the AZ-900 study guide, and the exam policy documents.
Exam facts verified against Microsoft Learn pages retrieved September 14, 2026.:
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals - Certifications | Microsoft Learn
- Study guide for Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn
- Shared responsibility in the cloud - Microsoft Azure | Microsoft Learn
- Exam duration and exam experience | Microsoft Learn
- Exam scoring and score reports | Microsoft Learn
- Credential expiration policies | Microsoft Learn
- Exam and Applied Skills assessment lab retake policies | Microsoft Learn
- Practice Assessments for Microsoft Certifications | Microsoft Learn