Microsoft study plan
AB-900 study plan
A step-by-step AB-900 study plan: the exact order to study in, how long to spend on each stage, and when to start practice questions. Follow it top to bottom.
The real AB-900 is Typically 40 to 60 questions questions in 45 minutes, pass mark 700 / 1000. For the full domain-by-domain breakdown behind each stage, read the AB-900 study guide.
Your step-by-step plan
Map the current outline and book a date
Day 1Read the three domains and their weights so you know where the marks are. Data protection and governance is the largest block, with core features and objects and Copilot and agent administration close behind. Confirm you are studying the outline refreshed on 22 July 2026, not older beta material, and treat this as a generally available exam rather than a beta. Book a provisional date now, because a fixed date turns vague study into a plan.
Learn the admin-centre map and identity basics
Week 1Start with core features and objects. Drill which admin centre owns which object until Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and the Microsoft 365 admin center cannot be confused, since this matching skill recurs throughout the exam. Then lock the identity vocabulary: authentication versus authorisation, what conditional access evaluates, and how to read a described sign-in failure. Use current names, especially Microsoft Entra ID rather than Azure AD.
Master the Copilot permissions model
Week 2Spend real time on the single most-tested idea: Copilot grounds answers in Microsoft Graph and the semantic index within the permissions the user already holds, so it never has its own access model. Practise the oversharing scenario until the reflex is automatic: when Copilot surfaces something it should not, the fix is a SharePoint permissions or restricted access control change, never a Copilot toggle. This one idea earns a disproportionate share of the marks.
Separate the Purview capabilities by job
Weeks 2 to 3Work through Microsoft Purview by the job each capability is named for: sensitivity labels classify and protect, DLP prevents egress, retention keeps or deletes, and DSPM for AI discovers AI activity. Then drill the diagnosis tools, Compliance Manager to assess, Activity Explorer to see what happened, and Content search to find content, so you can pick prevent versus detect correctly under time pressure. Keep the renamed products straight, such as Microsoft Purview Information Protection rather than Azure Information Protection.
Cover Copilot and agent administration
Week 3Learn the two billing models, the monthly Copilot licence versus pay-as-you-go, and when each applies. Walk the agent lifecycle from creation through approval to monitoring, and fix the split between the Microsoft 365 admin center and the Power Platform admin center for agent tasks. Match Researcher, Analyst, and custom agents to their use cases, and cover prompt management, including saving, sharing, scheduling, and deleting.
Practise on scenario questions and review the misses
Week 4Move to mixed practice questions across all three domains and read the explanation on every one, including the questions you got right, watching for the close-sounding tool you nearly chose. Use your per-domain accuracy to attack the weakest area rather than re-reading what you already know, and revisit the recall prompts after a few days to space the review.
Sit a timed mock and calibrate
Week 4Take at least one full timed mock under exam conditions to rehearse pacing and the flag-and-return habit. Treat the result as a per-domain readiness signal rather than a single number, and review every missed question, naming the discriminator or admin centre you misread, before you book or sit the real exam.
Ready to start stage one?
Free AB-900 questions, with every answer explained. No sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this AB-900 study plan take?
It is 7 stages, paced by how much time you can give it each week - most candidates work through it in 2 to 6 weeks. Each stage below has a suggested duration; slow down on any stage where the recall checks in the study guide are not landing before moving on.
What order should I study AB-900 in?
Follow the stages in order below. They are sequenced deliberately: foundational material first, then the domains weighted heaviest on the exam, then timed practice, with review passes built in rather than left to the end.
Do I need practice questions as part of this plan?
Yes. Reading alone does not surface what you have not actually learned. This plan builds in graded practice, and the full 295-question bank is free to use as you work through each stage.
Is this plan enough on its own, or do I need the full study guide too?
This page is the plan: what to do and in what order. The study guide adds the domain-by-domain breakdown, easy-to-confuse traps, and worked examples behind each stage - read it alongside this plan, not instead of it.
Examworthy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft. This study plan is original material based on the public exam blueprint. We never reproduce live exam items. AB-900 and related marks belong to their respective owners.