Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104) – Study Plan

Overview

The AZ-104 validates your ability to implement, manage, and monitor an organization's Azure environment. Success here requires more than knowing which buttons to click in the portal. You need to understand how services interact, how to troubleshoot when things break, and how to choose the right approach when multiple options exist.

This exam tests hands-on administrative skill across five domains. Questions will put you in realistic scenarios: diagnosing a broken network connection, choosing the right storage redundancy option, configuring access for a hybrid workforce. That is what Azure administrators deal with every day, and that is what this plan prepares you for.

The April 2026 update made minor adjustments to sub-tasks within storage (Azure Files and Blob), compute (VMs and Containers), and virtual networking. No domains were added or removed.

Networking and compute together represent 35-45% of the exam. They are also the domains where candidates lose the most marks. This plan front-loads them.

Recommended experience: 6+ months of hands-on Azure administration. Familiarity with operating systems, networking, servers, virtualization, PowerShell, Azure CLI, the Azure portal, ARM templates/Bicep, and Microsoft Entra ID.

Registration tip: Register with a personal Microsoft account (MSA). If you register with a work or school (Entra ID) account and later leave that organization, your exam records may be lost and unrecoverable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need AZ-900 before AZ-104?

There are no formal prerequisites. However, candidates should have a minimum of six months of hands-on Azure administration experience. If you have never touched the Azure portal, starting with AZ-900 first is a worthwhile investment.

How many practice questions should I aim for?

Aim for at least 800 unique questions across all domains, ensuring you prioritize quality over quantity. ExamOS provides over 3,000 high quality practice questions covering all domains and designed to explain the rationale behind both correct and incorrect answers.

When should I book the exam?

Once you are consistently hitting 80% or above on Legend mode across two or more sessions, and you feel comfortable explaining Azure administration decisions, you are ready. Trust your preparation.

How long is the exam?

You get 100 minutes of actual exam time. The total seat time is 120 minutes, which includes time for the NDA review, instructions, and post-exam comments. If the exam includes interactive lab tasks on the day you sit it, review the overview pages at the start to confirm the exact duration.

I am a non-native English speaker. Can I get extra time?

Yes, under certain conditions. Microsoft offers an additional 30 minutes if the exam is not available in your native language. The AZ-104 is currently offered in English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Traditional), and Italian. If your native language is not among these, you can request the accommodation:

1. Visit the English as a Second Language request form on the Microsoft Learn credentials page.
2. Submit your request before scheduling your exam.
3. Once approved, the extra time will be applied when you schedule and take the exam.

If the exam is available in your native language, you can still take it in English, but the additional 30 minutes will not be granted. Request this accommodation before you schedule. It cannot be added after the exam is booked.

Can I use Microsoft Learn during the exam?

Yes. All associate and expert role-based exams, including AZ-104, give you access to Microsoft Learn during the exam.

A "Learn" button at the bottom of the exam screen (Pearson VUE) opens Microsoft Learn in a split-screen view. You can search for documentation using the search bar at the top right. This is not available on Fundamentals or GitHub exams.

A few things to know:

• You can only access Microsoft Learn. No other websites, no browser tabs, no search engines.
• CTRL+F does not work reliably in the embedded view. Use the search bar.
• Use it to confirm specific details like service limits, SKUs, or feature availability. Do not rely on it as a substitute for preparation. Candidates who know the material well use it to verify edge cases. Candidates who rely on it consistently run out of time.

What are the interactive lab tasks?

The exam includes interactive components where you complete tasks in a simulated Azure environment. These test hands-on skills, not just knowledge recall. Use the exam sandbox on Microsoft Learn to practice the interface before test day.

What changed in the April 2026 update?

Minor adjustments to specific sub-tasks within storage (Azure Files and Blob), compute (VMs and Containers), and virtual networking. No domains were added or removed. Always review the official skills measured page on Microsoft Learn before your exam date.

What is the most important domain to study?

Networking and compute together account for 35-45% of the exam and are where most candidates lose marks. But every domain carries enough weight that skipping one is risky. The biggest trap is over-studying the domain you already know from daily work and under-studying the ones you rarely touch.

What are the most common ways people fail?

• Ignoring networking. Many candidates spend weeks on compute and identity, then get blindsided by networking questions. VNet peering, service endpoints vs private endpoints, and load balancer configuration come up constantly.
• Studying theory without hands-on practice. The exam tests practical skills. If you have not actually created a VNet, configured an NSG, or set up a storage account with lifecycle policies, you will struggle.
• Confusing RBAC with Azure Policy. RBAC controls who can do what (authorization). Azure Policy controls what configurations are allowed to exist (governance). This distinction is tested constantly.
• Missing the networking gotchas. VNet peering is not transitive. NSG priority is lower number = higher priority. First matching rule wins. These show up in questions repeatedly.
• Forgetting storage tier behavior. Archive tier blobs require hours to rehydrate, not minutes. ZRS protects a zone, not a region. For regional outage protection, you need GRS or GZRS.

What are the three biggest preparation mistakes?

1. Studying without touching the portal. The AZ-104 is a practical exam. Reading documentation is not enough. You need to actually deploy, configure, and troubleshoot in Azure.
2. Neglecting networking. It is the hardest domain and the one most likely to cause a failed attempt. Give it the time it deserves, even if it is not part of your daily work.
3. Rushing through the plan without repeating Challenger quizzes. The repetition is the point. Passing a Challenger quiz once means you got lucky. Passing it twice in a row means you actually know the material.

Is there a renewal option?

Yes. AZ-104 is valid for 1 year. You can renew it for free by passing an online assessment on Microsoft Learn. The renewal assessment is shorter and focuses on what has changed since you originally certified. Start the renewal process before your certification expires to avoid having to retake the full exam.

Quick-Reference: What Is on the Exam (April 17, 2026)

This is a condensed summary. For the full, always-current list, visit the official AZ-104 study guide.