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220-1201 Practice Question: A user is trying to connect their smartphone to a…
A user is trying to connect their smartphone to a car's infotainment system using Bluetooth for hands-free calling. The phone pairs successfully, but audio only plays through the phone's speaker, not the car's speakers. Which of the following is the most likely reason for this issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1201 exam often tests common user configuration issues and basic troubleshooting steps, leading candidates to incorrectly blame hardware or complex profile mismatches instead of recognizing simple output selection errors.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The phone's audio output is set to 'Speaker' in the call app.
Even if a smartphone is successfully paired and connected to a car's infotainment system via Bluetooth (including the Hands-Free Profile for calls), the phone's audio output for calls might still be directed to its internal speaker. This often requires a manual selection within the phone's call interface or settings to route the audio to the connected Bluetooth device. Option D directly addresses this common user configuration issue, which is a more likely cause than a profile mismatch if the primary concern is call audio not routing to the car.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The car's Bluetooth system does not support the phone's Bluetooth version.
Why it's wrong here
Bluetooth technology is fundamentally designed for backward compatibility, allowing newer devices to generally connect with older ones, albeit potentially without access to the latest features. A significant version incompatibility between the phone and the car's Bluetooth system would most likely prevent the initial pairing process from completing successfully altogether, rather than permitting a partial connection where call audio functions but media audio does not. Therefore, this scenario does not align with a Bluetooth version mismatch issue.
- ✗
The phone is only connected for phone calls (HFP) and not for media audio (A2DP).
Why it's wrong here
Modern Bluetooth connections frequently utilize distinct profiles for different functionalities, which can be independently enabled or disabled. The Hands-Free Profile (HFP) specifically manages call audio, allowing the car to act as a speakerphone, while the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) is dedicated to streaming high-quality stereo media audio. If the phone is only configured to enable HFP for the car's system, media audio will correctly remain on the phone's internal speaker or headphones, precisely explaining why calls work but music does not.
- ✗
The car's speakers are defective.
Why it's wrong here
If the car's speakers were genuinely defective, they would be unable to produce any sound, including the call audio that the scenario explicitly states is working through the car's system. Speaker defects typically manifest as a complete lack of sound or distorted audio across all output types, not selectively preventing media playback while allowing phone calls to function normally. This option is inconsistent with the observed behavior of working call audio.
- ✓
The phone's audio output is set to 'Speaker' in the call app.
Why this is correct
The 'Speaker' setting within a phone's call application is a temporary, per-call toggle that directs the current call's audio to the phone's internal speaker instead of a connected Bluetooth device. This specific setting does not influence the persistent Bluetooth profile configuration for media audio (A2DP) or prevent future calls from routing through Bluetooth if HFP is active. It is a transient setting for a specific call, not a global media output control affecting all audio types.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.