Exam Overview

The Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals certification validates foundational knowledge of cloud concepts and Azure services. It is the entry-level Azure certification and does not expire.

Question types: Multiple-choice (single and multiple answer), drag-and-drop matching, hot area (click on diagram), build list (ordering), and scenario-based questions.

What Changed in January 2026

The January 14, 2026 update made minor changes to two sub-areas:

• Describe Azure identity, access, and security (Domain 2.4) — minor wording adjustments
• Describe features and tools for managing and deploying Azure resources (Domain 3.3) — minor wording adjustments

Domain weightings remain unchanged. The overall exam structure (3 domains, same objectives) is the same. Community sources report a stronger emphasis on scenario-based questions over pure recall, but the official syllabus did not add or remove any objectives.

Not on this exam: Despite some community claims, AI/ML foundations, Power Platform, and sustainability topics do not appear in the official AZ-900 skills-measured document. Do not waste study time on these.

Domain Study Guides

Study Strategy

Time Allocation by Domain Weight

For a two-week study plan (approximately 20–30 hours total):

Recommended Study Order

1. Start with Domain 1 — establishes cloud fundamentals vocabulary used throughout the exam
2. Move to Domain 2 — the largest and most technical domain; give it the most time
3. Finish with Domain 3 — governance and management tools build on concepts from Domains 1 and 2
4. Take practice exams — use the official Microsoft practice assessment first, then third-party options

High-Yield Topics

These topics appear frequently on the exam and are worth extra attention:

• Shared responsibility model — know exactly what shifts between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS
• Storage redundancy — LRS vs ZRS vs GRS vs RA-GRS vs GZRS vs RA-GZRS
• Microsoft Entra ID vs on-premises AD DS — key differences
• Azure Policy vs RBAC — what each controls and how they differ
• Cost management tools — Pricing Calculator vs TCO Calculator vs Cost Management
• Resource hierarchy — Management Groups → Subscriptions → Resource Groups → Resources
• Zero Trust and defense-in-depth — principles and layers

Practice Exam Resources

Official (Tier 1)

Authorized Partners (Tier 2)

Community (Tier 3)

Official Microsoft Learning Paths

Microsoft provides three free learning paths on Microsoft Learn that map directly to the three exam domains:

1. Describe Cloud Concepts — maps to Domain 1
2. Describe Azure Architecture and Services — maps to Domain 2
3. Describe Azure Management and Governance — maps to Domain 3

The instructor-led course AZ-900T00 covers all three paths in a structured classroom format.

Cost and Voucher Information

References

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals
• Study Guide for Exam AZ-900
• Exam Duration and Exam Experience
• Exam Scoring and Score Reports
• Microsoft Learn: Azure Fundamentals Learning Paths