MS-500 Practice Test

What the MS-500 is and how it works

According to Microsoft, “A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.”^[1]

MS-500 is the Microsoft 365 Security Administration exam. Microsoft describes its candidates as people with functional experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and with Microsoft Entra ID. The questions therefore assume you have worked with identity, protection and compliance settings in a tenant, not only read about them. The official outline covers identity and access, information protection, threat protection, and compliance in Microsoft 365.

Delivery is through Pearson VUE. 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. Availability can differ, so check the Pearson VUE page for Microsoft when you schedule.

Scoring: a score of 700 or greater is required to pass. Microsoft reports results on its own scale, so do not try to convert 700 into a share of questions answered correctly.

Status: Microsoft says the certification and its renewal assessment are retired, and the renewal assessment is no longer offered. Before you plan around this exam, read the certification page and the exam page on Microsoft Learn to see what is currently available. Retake rules and fees are not listed here. Microsoft sets them and can change them, so use the official source. The practice sets below are still useful for reviewing the underlying Microsoft 365 security skills.

MS-500 Exam at a Glance

What changed for MS-500 in 2026

• Nov 6, 2026: Passing score changed to 700 or greater (previously 700 or greater (historical; exam retired)).^[1]
• Nov 6, 2026: Eligibility changed to Functional experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID (previously Functional experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID (historical, exam retired)).^[4]
• Nov 6, 2026: Renewal changed to Retired (renewal assessment no longer offered) (previously Retired (certification and renewal assessment discontinued)).^[2]

MS-500 content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official MS-500 content outline published by Microsoft. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through MS-500 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: Which Microsoft 365 Defender service protects against malicious links and attachments in email?

1. Microsoft Defender for Identity
2. Microsoft Defender for Office 365
3. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
4. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Answer: B. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Explanation:

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is correct because it provides Safe Links and Safe Attachments, which check URLs and attachments in email and collaboration tools. Defender for Identity is wrong because it watches signals from on-premises directory servers to detect identity attacks, not mail content. Defender for Endpoint is wrong because it protects devices, covering malware, vulnerabilities and device response. Defender for Cloud Apps is wrong because it is a cloud access security broker focused on how cloud apps are used and what data goes into them. The rule to remember: name the workload being attacked first (mail, identity, device or cloud app), then pick the Defender product built for that workload.

Example 2

Question: Which Azure AD feature synchronizes on-premises Active Directory identities to Azure AD?

1. Azure AD Connect
2. Azure AD B2B
3. Azure AD Domain Services
4. Azure AD Proxy

Answer: A. Azure AD Connect

Explanation:

Azure AD Connect is correct because it synchronizes on-premises Active Directory users, groups and attributes to the cloud directory. Azure AD B2B is wrong because it handles collaboration with external guest users and does not copy your own directory. Azure AD Domain Services is wrong because it provides managed domain features such as domain join and legacy authentication in Azure, not synchronization of your existing identities. Azure AD Proxy is wrong because it publishes internal web applications for remote access. Note that Microsoft now uses the name Microsoft Entra ID for Azure AD, so expect both names in study material. The rule: synchronization is a directory-sync job, while B2B, Domain Services and Proxy each solve a different access problem.

Example 3

Question: Which Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps feature discovers unsanctioned cloud applications used by employees?

1. App governance
2. Cloud Discovery
3. Conditional Access App Control
4. Activity policies

Answer: B. Cloud Discovery

Explanation:

Cloud Discovery is correct because it analyzes network traffic logs to show which cloud apps employees are using, including apps nobody approved. App governance is wrong because it monitors permissions and behavior of apps that are already connected to your Microsoft 365 tenant. Conditional Access App Control is wrong because it applies real-time session controls to apps you have already chosen to route through it, so it cannot find unknown ones. Activity policies are wrong because they alert on or act on user activity inside connected apps. The rule: discovery of unknown apps comes from traffic logs, while the other features control apps you already know about.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official skills outline from Microsoft Learn and read the four content areas as a checklist. Mark each area as strong, shaky or untouched, based on your actual tenant experience rather than on how familiar the names feel.

Next, take the practice set for your weakest area under no time pressure. For every wrong answer, write down why the correct option fits and why your choice did not. The worked questions above show the pattern: name the workload or goal, then match the feature built for it. Then open the matching Microsoft Learn module or admin documentation and read the section that explains the feature you confused.

• Repeat the practice sets for shaky areas until your mistakes stop repeating the same confusion, such as mixing up Defender products.
• Use the case study set to practise reading a scenario and picking the setting that meets the stated requirement.
• Try the settings yourself in a test tenant where Microsoft allows it, since the exam assumes hands-on familiarity.

Before test day, confirm how Microsoft currently lists the exam and the delivery options on the official pages, and have your ID and testing setup sorted out in advance. Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions, so treat them as practice for the skills, not a preview of the paper.

Sources & last verified

1. Microsoft — passing score (official source). “A score of 700 or greater is required to pass.” Verified Nov 8, 2026 · source checked Nov 8, 2026.
2. Microsoft — renewal (official source). “This certification and the renewal assessment are retired.” Verified Nov 7, 2026 · source checked Nov 7, 2026.
3. 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 Nov 6, 2026.
4. Microsoft — eligibility, other (official source). “Candidates for this exam have functional experience with Microsoft 365 workloads and with Microsoft Entra ID.” Verified Nov 8, 2026 · source checked Nov 8, 2026.

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