Updated 1 Nov 2026 · 5 min read
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What the CompTIA Tech+ is and who it is for
CompTIA Tech+ is CompTIA's foundational certification for people exploring a career in tech. This version is V6, exam series code FC0-U71, launched on 16 July 2024. CompTIA says no prior experience is necessary, so you can start with no IT background.
It covers a wide spread of basics: how computers process and store data, hardware and networking, operating systems and applications, programming concepts, databases and security. CompTIA describes Tech+ as an upgrade from CompTIA ITF+. If you already hold ITF+, CompTIA says there is no need to take Tech+.
The exam comes under two codes with the same content and objectives. FC0-U71 gives a certification that does not expire. FC0-U71-CE gives one that expires after five years and is renewed by passing the next available CE version of the exam. A Tech+ voucher can be used for either, so choose the code when you book. If no employer or programme asks for the CE version, FC0-U71 needs no further action after you pass.
CompTIA Tech+ at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code | FC0-U71, or FC0-U71-CE for the renewable version |
| Questions | A maximum of 70, multiple choice |
| Time allowed | 60 minutes |
| Passing score | 650 on a scale of 900 |
| Exam fee | US$129 for a Tech+ voucher in the US store |
| Languages | English and Japanese |
| Where you sit it | Pearson VUE, online or at a test centre |
| Certification valid for | FC0-U71 does not expire. FC0-U71-CE is valid for 5 years |
Sixty minutes for up to 70 questions is a little under a minute each, so the exam rewards quick recall more than long working out.
What is on the exam
Tech concepts and terminology (13%). Input, processing, output and storage, and the notational systems: binary, hexadecimal, decimal and octal. You convert units of storage, speed and throughput (KB to TB, MHz to GHz, bps to Gbps) and apply a troubleshooting method from identifying the problem to documenting findings.
Infrastructure (24%). This domain carries the most weight. Device types from smartphones to servers and IoT, internal components such as CPU, RAM, HDD, SSD and NVMe storage, NIC and GPU, and volatile versus non-volatile storage. Then peripherals and drivers, interfaces (USB, HDMI, Ethernet, Bluetooth, NFC), virtualisation and the SaaS, PaaS and IaaS models, LAN and WAN, IP and MAC addresses, routers, switches, firewalls and 802.11 wireless.
Applications and software (18%). Mobile, desktop, server and embedded operating systems, file systems such as NTFS and FAT32, GUI and command line, productivity and collaboration software, and browser features such as private browsing, add-ons and clearing the cache. It also covers AI tools: chatbots, assistants and generative AI.
Software development concepts (13%). Interpreted, compiled, scripting, markup and assembly languages, data types (char, strings, integers, floats, Boolean), variables, constants, arrays, functions and objects, and organising logic with pseudocode, flowcharts, branching and looping.
Data and database fundamentals (13%). The value of data for decisions and reporting, relational versus non-relational databases, tables, rows, fields, primary and foreign keys, queries and reports, and file and system backups to local or cloud storage.
Security (19%). Confidentiality, integrity and availability, authentication and authorisation, device security with anti-malware, firewalls and patching, password practice and password managers, and encryption of data at rest and in transit, including HTTPS and VPNs.
Why people fail it
The first cause is assuming it is easy because it is foundational. The range is wide: in one sitting you can move from hexadecimal conversion to primary keys, from 802.11 standards to pseudocode. It is easy to be comfortable with two or three of the six domains and thin on the rest, and with a maximum of 70 questions every weak domain costs marks.
The second is the domains people skip. Software development and databases look like specialist topics to someone heading for a help desk role, so they get left until the end. Together they are 26% of the exam, slightly more than infrastructure at 24%. You do not need to write code, but you do need to tell a compiled language from an interpreted one and a primary key from a foreign key.
The third is reading too slowly. Sixty minutes for up to 70 questions leaves little time to reason from first principles, so learn the terms well enough to recognise them at once.
A study plan that fits the exam
Five weeks suits most beginners studying a few evenings a week. Infrastructure gets a full week because it carries the most weight, and software development and databases share a week.
- Week 1: concepts and terminology. Practise binary, hexadecimal and octal conversion until it is quick, learn the units of storage and speed, and memorise the troubleshooting steps in order. Try the free Tech+ practice questions to see which domains are new to you.
- Week 2: infrastructure. Open a desktop or study diagrams of one, name each internal component, then cover interfaces, cloud service models, IP and MAC addresses and wireless standards.
- Week 3: applications and software. Compare operating system types and file systems, try the command line on your own computer, and review browser features and AI tools.
- Week 4: software development and databases. Write a few lines of pseudocode with a loop and a branch, draw a flowchart, then build a small table with a primary key and link it to another with a foreign key.
- Week 5: security and timed runs. Cover the CIA triad, authentication versus authorisation, passwords and encryption, then work through the Tech+ practice question pack in 60 minute blocks and review every miss.
On exam day
You can sit the exam online or at a Pearson VUE test centre. For an online exam, CompTIA advises logging in at least 30 minutes before your session. Check-in includes photos of your testing space and possibly a room scan, and you are monitored through your webcam and microphone throughout.
Use the restroom before you start. CompTIA's online guidelines say breaks are not permitted except with prior approval as an accommodation, and then only at a test centre. With 60 minutes for up to 70 questions, keep moving and do not spend long on any one question.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I fail the Tech+?
CompTIA has no waiting period between your first and second attempts. Before a third or later attempt you must wait at least 14 calendar days from the previous one. You pay the exam price for every attempt, and CompTIA does not offer free retakes or retake discounts.
Should I choose FC0-U71 or FC0-U71-CE?
The content is the same. FC0-U71 is good for life. FC0-U71-CE expires five years after you earn it and is renewed by passing the next CE version of the exam. Choose CE only if an employer or programme asks for it.
Is the practice question pack enough on its own?
Not if the topics are new to you. The pack is practice, not a course. The 192 questions with explanations show how CompTIA asks about each objective and where your gaps are, but they do not replace learning the basics from a book or course. Learn the material first, then use the questions to test yourself under time.
When you are ready to check yourself against the clock, get the Tech+ practice questions with full explanations.
Sources
The official pages the facts in this guide were checked against.
- comptia.org/en-us/certifications/tech/
- help.comptia.org/hc/en-us/articles/52138732883348-Tech-FC0-U71-vs-FC0-U71-CE
- comptia.org/en-us/blog/comptia-tech-vs-comptia-itf-whats-the-difference/
- comptia.org/en-us/blog/where-can-i-get-comptia-tech-certified/
- comptia.org/en/resources/test-policies/online-proctored-exam-guidelines/
- comptia.org/en/resources/test-policies/exam-delivery-policies/
- comptia.org/en/resources/test-policies/comptia-certification-retake-policy/