MD-101 Practice Test

What the MD-101 is and how it works

According to Microsoft, “Technical exams: All technical exam scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 1,000. A passing score is 700 or greater.”^[2]

MD-101, Managing Modern Desktops, tested whether an administrator could run Windows endpoints in a cloud-managed environment. That covered deploying Windows client, managing identity and access, applying compliance policies and configuration profiles, maintaining and protecting devices, and managing apps. Microsoft lists MD-102 as the replacement exam, so the facts below apply to MD-102. Exam details can change, so check the Microsoft Learn certification page before you book.

• Delivery: you can usually choose between a Pearson VUE test center and an online proctored exam. This depends on what is available for the exam where you live.
• Fee: the price depends on the country or region where you take the exam, so there is no single price. Check your local price on the Microsoft certification page.
• Time limit: 100 minutes.
• Scoring: Microsoft reports technical exam scores on a scale of 1 to 1,000, and you need 700 or more to pass. This is a scaled score, not the percentage of questions you got right.
• Retakes: if you fail, you must wait 24 hours before you try again. After that, you must wait 14 days between attempts. You can take a given exam no more than 5 times in 12 months.

Our practice sets still use the MD-101 name. The topic table below uses the current official list of content areas.

MD-101 Exam at a Glance

What changed for MD-101 in 2026

• Oct 29, 2026: Delivery (MD-102 (replacement exam)) changed to In-person at a Pearson VUE test center or online proctored (previously Proctored, scheduled through Pearson VUE).^[4]
• Oct 29, 2026: Exam fee (MD-102 (replacement exam)) changed to Varies by country or region (previously Varies by country/region).^[1]
• Oct 29, 2026: Passing score (MD-102 (replacement exam)) changed to 700 / 1,000 (scaled) (previously 700 out of 1,000 (scaled)).^[2]
• Oct 29, 2026: Retake policy (MD-102 (replacement exam)) changed to Wait 24 hours after 1st attempt; 14 days between subsequent attempts; max 5 attempts per 12 months (previously 24 h after 1st fail, then 14 days; max 5 attempts in 12 months).^[3]

MD-101 content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official MD-101 content outline published by Microsoft. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through MD-101 questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is the purpose of the 'Automatic update behavior' setting in an Intune Update Ring?

1. To control whether BitLocker is required before updates install
2. To define how Windows Update downloads and installs updates — e.g., auto download and install at maintenance time
3. To configure which update categories are included
4. To set the update server URL

Answer: B. To define how Windows Update downloads and installs updates — e.g., auto download and install at maintenance time

Explanation:

B is correct. In an Intune Update Ring, the Automatic update behavior setting tells the Windows Update client what to do with updates. For example, it can download them automatically and install them at a scheduled maintenance time.

• A is wrong because BitLocker requirements come from endpoint security or compliance policies, not from update rings.
• C is wrong because the types of update to include are set by other ring settings, such as whether Microsoft product updates or drivers are included.
• D is wrong because Windows Update for Business gets updates from Microsoft's service. Update rings do not point devices to a custom update server.

Rule to remember: update rings control when and how updates install, not which security features a device must have.

Example 2

Question: Which Intune feature allows configuration profiles to be applied only when devices are on a corporate network?

1. Applicability rules
2. Scope tags
3. Filters
4. Conditional Access

Answer: C. Filters

Explanation:

C is the intended answer. Filters are Intune's tool for narrowing an assignment. A filter includes or excludes devices based on their properties when the policy is checked, so a profile reaches only the devices that match.

• A is wrong because applicability rules check the Windows edition or version, not where the device is.
• B is wrong because scope tags control which administrators can see and manage an object. They do not decide which devices get it.
• D is wrong because Conditional Access decides whether a sign-in gets access to resources. It does not deliver configuration profiles.

Rule to remember: location rules belong to Conditional Access, which controls access. Filters and groups decide which devices get a profile.

Example 3

Question: Which Intune Delivery Optimization profile setting controls what percentage of upload bandwidth a device uses to share update content with peers?

1. Max cache size percentage
2. Max upload bandwidth (percentage of bandwidth)
3. Minimum background bandwidth percentage
4. Cache server hostname

Answer: B. Max upload bandwidth (percentage of bandwidth)

Explanation:

B is correct. The Max upload bandwidth (percentage of bandwidth) setting limits how much of a device's upload bandwidth Delivery Optimization can use to share update content with peers.

• A is wrong because Max cache size percentage limits how much disk space is used to store content, not how fast the device uploads.
• C is wrong because Minimum background bandwidth percentage sets the lowest bandwidth reserved for background downloads. It does not cap peer uploads.
• D is wrong because Cache server hostname points devices to a Microsoft Connected Cache server. It has nothing to do with upload limits.

Rule to remember: read the setting name for its direction (upload or download) and what it limits (bandwidth or cache).

How to use these practice tests

Start by reading the official MD-102 study guide on Microsoft Learn and note the skills listed under each content area. That list matters more than any third-party summary.

1. Take a baseline. Do the general MD-101 set without notes. Write down every question you got wrong or guessed.
2. Work by topic. For each weak area, open the matching set: Autopilot, Conditional Access and compliance, configuration profiles, endpoint security, Windows Update for Business, app protection and co-management.
3. Read every explanation. Read the explanation even when you answered correctly, and learn why each wrong option is wrong. Exam answer choices are often real settings used in the wrong place.
4. Use a test tenant. If you can, create profiles, update rings and app protection policies yourself in a trial Intune tenant.
5. Finish with a timed run. Take the v1.0 set under timed conditions, then go back over any topics that are still weak.

Sources & last verified

1. Microsoft — time limit, exam fee (official source). “You will have 100 minutes to complete this assessment.” Verified Oct 29, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.
2. Microsoft — passing score (official source). “Technical exams: All technical exam scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 1,000. A passing score is 700 or greater.” Verified Oct 29, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.
3. Microsoft — retake policy (official source). “If you don’t pass an exam the first time, you must wait 24 hours before retaking it. A 14-day waiting period is imposed between all…” Verified Oct 29, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.
4. home.pearsonvue.com — delivery (official source). “Microsoft states that candidates can usually choose between a local test center and an online proctored exam, depending on availability for that exam and provider.” Verified Oct 29, 2026.
5. Microsoft — other (official source). “deploy windows client” Verified Oct 29, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.