Microsoft SC-401 Practice Test
Use the free 20-question sets to find the skill area that needs work, then move to a full-length 50-question practice test when you want a complete 100-minute run. Coverage follows Microsoft's current SC-401 skills measured as of July 28, 2026.
Mixed Set — SC-401 Practice Tests
Five free sets spread questions across all three skill areas. Use them first. They are short enough to expose a weak area without using up a full 100-minute practice run.
Skill Area — SC-401 Practice Tests
Once a mixed set shows where you are dropping marks, drill that area directly. Microsoft currently weights all three SC-401 areas at 30–35%.
Twenty questions finds the gap.
Fifty questions tests your endurance.
The free sets are built for diagnosis. The paid SC-401 full-length practice tests use a fixed 50-question form and the full 100-minute clock, with the same 17 / 17 / 16 practice blueprint in every set.
| Free practice tests | Full-length practice tests | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 20 | 50 |
| Time limit | 40 minutes | 100 minutes |
| Coverage | Mixed sample or one skill area | All three skill areas in one test |
| Blueprint | Focused practice | 17 / 17 / 16 fixed distribution |
| Number available | 8 | 10 |
| Total questions available | 160 | 500 |
| Price | Free | From $3.49₹119£2.79€3.29 |
How to use these tests
Use the short sets to diagnose first. Save the full-length runs for the point when pacing and consistency matter.
Benchmark
Take two mixed sets before you revise. Look for the skill area that keeps costing you questions.
Start Practice Test 1 →Drill the gap
Move to the focused test for information protection, DLP and retention, or risks and alerts. Then return to a mixed set.
Start with Skill Area 1 →Full-length run
When the weak area has stopped moving, sit 50 questions under the full 100-minute clock. This is the point where pacing becomes part of the practice.
Get Full-Length Tests →About the Microsoft SC-401 exam
SC-401: Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365 is the exam for the Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate certification.
What SC-401 covers
An information security administrator protects sensitive data by using Microsoft Purview and related Microsoft 365 services. The role covers information protection, data loss prevention, retention, insider risk management, information-security alerts, activity investigation, and protecting data used by AI services.
Microsoft expects familiarity with Microsoft 365 services, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, the Microsoft Defender portal, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.
Exam format
Assessment time: 100 minutes.
Live question count: Microsoft does not publish a fixed SC-401 count.
Exam experience: Proctored; interactive components may appear.
Passing score: 700 or greater.
Languages: English, Portuguese (Brazil), French, German, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), and Spanish.
Eligibility and renewal
Prerequisite certification: None listed by Microsoft.
Recommended knowledge: Microsoft Purview, Microsoft 365, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, Defender, DLP, retention, insider risk, and alert workflows.
Certification: Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate.
Renewal: Associate certifications expire annually and can be renewed free by passing the online Microsoft Learn renewal assessment during the renewal window.
Retakes: 24 hours after the first failed attempt; 14 days between later attempts, up to five attempts in a 12-month period from the first attempt.
SC-401 skill weights
Microsoft's current study guide lists these skills measured as of July 28, 2026.
| Area | Skill | Microsoft weight |
|---|---|---|
| Skill Area 1 | Implement Information Protection | 30–35% |
| Skill Area 2 | Implement Data Loss Prevention and Retention | 30–35% |
| Skill Area 3 | Manage Risks, Alerts, and Activities | 30–35% |
How our SC-401 practice tests are written
Current Microsoft terminology. Questions use the Microsoft Purview portal, Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Defender XDR, Endpoint DLP, Insider Risk Management, eDiscovery, and DSPM for AI where the current objectives call for them.
Administrator decisions, not vocabulary drills. A strong SC-401 question makes you choose between nearby controls: sensitivity labels versus retention labels, Microsoft 365 DLP versus Endpoint DLP, Audit versus Activity explorer, or Insider Risk Management versus Adaptive Protection.
Timed practice has two jobs. The 20-question sets help you find gaps quickly. The 50-question full-length tests make you hold that decision quality for the full 100-minute assessment window.
SC-401 preparation tips
Study strategy
Build the controls. Sensitivity labels, DLP policies, retention labels, insider-risk policies, Audit searches and Activity explorer make more sense after you have configured or investigated them.
Study the boundaries. SC-401 gets harder when two Microsoft controls can both sound reasonable. Learn what each one protects, where it applies, and what event should trigger it.
Do not skip AI data protection. The current outline explicitly includes protecting data used by AI services and DSPM for AI.
Test-taking strategy
Read for scope first. Workload, data location, user population, risk level and required outcome usually eliminate half the options before product names matter.
Watch FIRST and BEST. Sequence and scope are common traps. A valid control can still be the wrong answer if it acts too broadly or comes later in the workflow.
Use the clock. Do not turn every scenario into a research project. Make the best supported choice, flag it mentally, and keep moving.
Frequently asked questions
Find the gap free. Then test the full 100 minutes.
Start with a 20-question mixed set. When the weak area is clear and your scores settle, move to a 50-question full-length SC-401 practice test.
