CompTIA · 2026 Edition
A complete preparation guide written by CompTIA-certified engineers. Covers the exam format,all 6 blueprint domains, a week-by-week study plan, and proven tips for passing first time.
3–5 weeks
Prep time
Beginner
Difficulty
75
Exam questions
650/1000
Pass mark
Exam code
FC0-U61
Full name
CompTIA ITF+
Vendor
CompTIA
Duration
60 minutes
Questions
75 items
Passing score
650/1000 (scaled)
Domains covered
6 blueprint domains
Recommended experience
No prerequisites — designed for people with no IT background whatsoever
Typical prep time
3–5 weeks
ITF+ (IT Fundamentals) is CompTIA's pre-entry credential — useful for career changers, students exploring IT, non-technical staff who work alongside IT teams, and anyone who needs to verify baseline digital literacy.
Job roles this opens
Domain percentage weights are not currently available for this exam. The checklist below is still useful for planning your study.
Week 1
IT Concepts and Terminology, Notational Systems
Tip: Binary, hexadecimal, and decimal conversion appear on ITF+. Practice converting between bases until it is automatic — this is not something to look up on exam day.
Week 2
Infrastructure: hardware components, display devices, I/O, peripherals
Tip: You will see photo-based questions of hardware. Know what a CPU, GPU, RAM slot, PCIe slot, HDD, SSD, and common ports look like physically.
Week 3
Applications and Software, Software Development Concepts
Tip: Basic database vocabulary is tested: rows (records), columns (fields), primary key, foreign key, and what a query does. No SQL syntax is required but the vocabulary is essential.
Week 4
Security and Networking Fundamentals
Tip: Security concepts are introductory but broad: know what a firewall does, what phishing is, what two-factor authentication means, and why software updates matter. Keep it conceptual — this is not Security+.
ITF+ is the easiest CompTIA exam. If you are studying for A+, the ITF+ content overlaps significantly — ITF+ can serve as a warm-up exam and confidence builder.
Binary is tested directly: know that 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 kilobyte = 1,024 bytes, and be able to convert small binary numbers (e.g. 10110101) to decimal.
The exam covers database fundamentals at a conceptual level — understand the difference between relational and non-relational databases and what each is suited for.
Software licensing types appear on ITF+: open source (free to use/modify), freeware (free but not open source), commercial (purchased), and shareware (trial). Know the distinctions.
ITF+ is not required as a prerequisite for A+, but it is a sensible starting point if you have no prior IT exposure. It establishes the vocabulary you will use throughout your IT career.
Apply everything in this guide with adaptive practice questions, detailed answer explanations, and domain analytics.
Deep-dive explanations of the key topics tested on FC0-U61 — with exam key points and common misconceptions.