The correct answer is to modify the Conditional Access policy to exclude the Microsoft 365 admin center from the device compliance requirement while keeping multifactor authentication (MFA) enforced. This works because the policy’s device compliance condition is what blocks personal, unenrolled devices; by removing that specific requirement for the admin center cloud app, you allow Global Administrators to sign in from their personal devices without compromising security, since MFA still verifies their identity. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your ability to balance security with usability in Conditional Access policies—a common trap is disabling the entire policy or forcing device enrollment, which either weakens security or is impractical for personal devices. Remember the memory tip: “Keep MFA, drop compliance for admin access,” ensuring you only relax the condition that causes the block.
MS-102 Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant Practice Question
This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage a microsoft 365 tenant. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You have a Microsoft 365 E5 tenant. Users report that they cannot access the Microsoft 365 admin center (https://admin.microsoft.com). You verify that they have the Global Administrator role assigned. You check the sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID and see that the sign-in was blocked by a Conditional Access policy. The policy requires MFA and a compliant device. The users are using personal devices that are not enrolled. What should you do to allow access while maintaining security?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Modify the Conditional Access policy to exclude the Microsoft 365 admin center from the device compliance requirement, but keep MFA.
Option D is correct because it allows users to access the Microsoft 365 admin center by removing the device compliance requirement for that specific cloud app while still enforcing MFA. This maintains security through MFA and avoids blocking access for users on personal, unenrolled devices. Disabling the policy entirely or requiring enrollment would either weaken security or be impractical for personal devices.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Disable the Conditional Access policy.
Why it's wrong here
This would reduce security.
✗
Ask users to enroll their personal devices in Microsoft Intune.
Why it's wrong here
Personal devices may not be enrolled.
✗
Remove the Global Administrator role from the users and assign a lower privilege role.
Why it's wrong here
They need admin access.
✓
Modify the Conditional Access policy to exclude the Microsoft 365 admin center from the device compliance requirement, but keep MFA.
Why this is correct
Allows access with MFA only, which is acceptable for admins.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think removing the Global Administrator role (Option C) will bypass the Conditional Access policy, but Conditional Access policies apply to all users regardless of role unless explicitly excluded, and the policy's grant controls are evaluated before role-based access is considered.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Conditional Access policies in Microsoft Entra ID evaluate conditions like user, app, device state, and risk before granting access. The policy in question uses the 'Grant' control requiring both MFA and device compliance; by excluding the Microsoft 365 admin center from the device compliance requirement, the policy becomes an 'OR' condition (MFA OR compliance) for that app, allowing access with just MFA. This is a common pattern for balancing security and usability when users access sensitive apps from unmanaged devices.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-102 question in full detail.
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — This question tests Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Modify the Conditional Access policy to exclude the Microsoft 365 admin center from the device compliance requirement, but keep MFA. — Option D is correct because it allows users to access the Microsoft 365 admin center by removing the device compliance requirement for that specific cloud app while still enforcing MFA. This maintains security through MFA and avoids blocking access for users on personal, unenrolled devices. Disabling the policy entirely or requiring enrollment would either weaken security or be impractical for personal devices.
What should I do if I get this MS-102 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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