220-1201 Mobile Devices Practice Question
A user with an Android smartphone reports that the device's battery drains unusually fast, even when the screen is off. The technician suspects that one or more apps are keeping the device awake. Which of the following actions should the technician take to identify the cause? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that a task killer or disabling radios will solve the problem, but the goal is to identify the cause, not apply a generic fix.
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
✓
Review the list of apps with permission to run in the background.
To identify an app causing battery drain, the technician should examine battery usage statistics and review background app permissions. These built-in Android features provide data on which apps are consuming power and allow the technician to restrict background activity. Task killers, disabling radios, or factory resets are not diagnostic and may not address the root cause.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Review the list of apps with permission to run in the background.
Why this is correct
Android allows users to restrict background activity for specific apps. Reviewing which apps have permission to run in the background can highlight apps that may be waking the device unnecessarily. The technician can then limit or revoke background permissions for suspicious apps, potentially resolving the battery drain.
- ✗
Use a third-party task killer to automatically kill background apps.
Why it's wrong here
Task killers often do more harm than good by killing apps that the system will restart, causing a cycle of resource usage and increased battery drain. They do not provide diagnostic information about which app is causing the drain. The technician should first identify the culprit using built-in tools rather than resorting to task killers.
- ✗
Perform a factory reset of the device.
Why it's wrong here
A factory reset is a drastic step that erases all user data and should only be considered after other troubleshooting fails. It does not help identify the specific app causing the battery drain and may not even resolve the issue if the problem is hardware-related. The technician should first use diagnostic tools to isolate the cause.
- ✗
Disable Bluetooth and GPS to save battery.
Why it's wrong here
While disabling Bluetooth and GPS can reduce battery consumption, these are not diagnostic steps to identify which app is causing the drain. The scenario specifically asks to identify the cause of the battery drain, not to implement a blanket power-saving measure. Turning off radios may mask the symptom but does not pinpoint the responsible app.
- ✓
Check the battery usage statistics in the device settings.
Why this is correct
Android's battery usage statistics show which apps and services have consumed the most battery since the last charge. This can reveal apps with high background usage or that have kept the device awake. The technician can identify problematic apps and take further action, such as restricting background activity or uninstalling the app.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Mobile Device Types and Features
Key term
Android
Android is an open-source operating system used primarily on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, developed by Google.
Key term
Smartphone
A smartphone is a handheld mobile device that combines cellular communication with computing capabilities, running an operating system that supports third-party applications, internet connectivity, and a touchscreen interface.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 220-1201 question from scratch — 871 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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.