Study guide for Exam MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator
Purpose of this document
This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.
| Useful links | Description |
|---|---|
| Review the skills measured as of July 15, 2024 | This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided. Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date. |
| Review the skills measured prior to July 15, 2024 | Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date provided. |
| Change log | You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the changes that will be made on the date provided. |
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Updates to the exam
Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.
We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.
Note
The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.
Note
Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.
Skills measured as of July 15, 2024
Audience profile
If you’re an administrator who deploys and manages Microsoft 365 and performs Microsoft 365 tenant-level implementation and administration of cloud and hybrid environments, this exam is designed for you.
As a Microsoft 365 administrator, you:
Function as the integrating hub for all Microsoft 365 workloads.
Coordinate across multiple Microsoft 365 workloads.
Work with architects and other administrators responsible for workloads, infrastructure, identity, security, compliance, endpoints, and applications.
As a candidate for this exam, you have functional experience with all Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID and have administered at least one of these. You should also have a working knowledge of the following:
Networking
Server administration
DNS
PowerShell
Skills at a glance
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant (15–20%)
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access (25–30%)
Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR (35–40%)
Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview (15–20%)
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant (15–20%)
Implement and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant
Create a tenant
Implement and manage domains
Configure org settings, including Security & privacy and Organizational profile
Identify and respond to service health issues
Configure notifications in service health
Configure and review Network connectivity insights
Monitor adoption and usage
Configure and manage Microsoft 365 Backup
Manage users and groups
Create and manage users in Microsoft Entra, including external users and guests
Create and manage contacts in the Microsoft 365 admin center
Create and manage groups, including Microsoft 365 groups and shared mailboxes
Manage and monitor Microsoft 365 licenses, including group-based licensing
Perform bulk user management, including PowerShell
Manage roles and role groups
Implement and manage built-in roles in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra
Implement and manage custom roles in Microsoft Entra admin center
Manage role groups in Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft 365 workloads
Manage delegation by using administrative units
Manage roles in Microsoft Entra privileged identity management
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access (25–30%)
Implement and manage identity synchronization with Microsoft Entra tenant
Prepare for identity synchronization by using IdFix
Implement and manage directory synchronization by using Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync
Implement and manage directory synchronization by using Microsoft Entra Connect
Monitor synchronization by using Microsoft Entra Connect Health
Troubleshoot synchronization, including Microsoft Entra Connect and Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync
Implement and manage authentication
Implement and manage authentication methods
Implement and manage self-service password reset (SSPR)
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Password Protection
Investigate and resolve authentication issues
Implement and manage secure access
Plan for identity protection
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra ID Protection
Plan Conditional Access policies
Implement and manage Conditional Access policies
Implement and manage multi-factor authentication (MFA) by using conditional access policies
Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR (35–40%)
Review and respond to security reports and alerts generated by Microsoft Defender XDR
Review and take actions to improve the Microsoft Secure Score
Review and respond to security incidents and alerts
Review and respond to issues identified in security and compliance reports
Review and respond to threats identified in threat analytics
Implement and manage email and collaboration protection by using Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Implement policies and rules in Defender for Office 365
Review and respond to threats identified in Defender for Office 365, including threats and investigations
Create and run campaigns, such as attack simulation
Unblock users
Implement and manage endpoint protection by using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Onboard devices to Defender for Endpoint
Configure endpoint settings
Review and respond to endpoint vulnerabilities
Review and respond to risks identified in the Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management dashboard
Implement, and manage Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Configure the app connector for Microsoft 365
Configure Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps policies
Review and respond to Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps alerts
Interpret activity log
Configure Cloud App Discovery
Review and respond to issues identified in Cloud App Discovery
Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview (15–20%)
Implement Microsoft Purview information protection and data lifecycle management
Implement and manage sensitive information types by using keywords, keyword lists, or regular expressions
Implement retention labels, retention label policies, and retention policies
Implement sensitivity labels and sensitivity label policies
Monitor label usage by using Content explorer, Activity explorer, and label reports
Implement Microsoft Purview data loss prevention (DLP)
Configure DLP policies for Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams
Configure Endpoint DLP
Review and respond to DLP alerts, events, and reports
Study resources
We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.
| Study resources | Links to learning and documentation |
|---|---|
| Get trained | Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course |
| Find documentation | Microsoft 365 documentation Microsoft 365 admin center help Tenant management for Microsoft 365 for enterprise Microsoft Entra ID documentation Microsoft Defender products and services Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager documentation Microsoft Purview compliance documentation |
| Ask a question | Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs |
| Get community support | Microsoft 365 - Microsoft Tech Community |
| Follow Microsoft Learn | Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community |
| Find a video | Exam Readiness Zone Browse other Microsoft Learn shows |
Change log
Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.
| Skill area prior to July 15, 2024 | Skill area as of July 15, 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Audience profile | No change | |
| Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenants | Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant | % of the exam decreased |
| Implement and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant | Implement and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant | Major |
| Manage users and groups | Manage users and groups | Minor |
| Manage roles in Microsoft 365 | Manage roles and role groups | Minor |
| Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access | Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access | No change |
| Implement and manage identity synchronization with Microsoft Entra tenant | Implement and manage identity synchronization with Microsoft Entra tenant | Minor |
| Implement and manage authentication | Implement and manage authentication | Minor |
| Implement and manage secure access | Implement and manage secure access | Minor |
| Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR | Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR | % of the exam increased |
| Manage security reports and alerts by using the Microsoft Defender portal | Manage security reports and alerts by using the Microsoft Defender portal | Minor |
| Implement and manage email and collaboration protection by using Microsoft Defender for Office 365 | Implement and manage email and collaboration protection by using Microsoft Defender for Office 365 | Minor |
| Implement and manage endpoint protection by using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Implement and manage endpoint protection by using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Minor |
| Implement, and manage Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps | New | |
| Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview | Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview | No change |
| Implement Microsoft Purview Information Protection and Data Lifecycle Management | Implement Microsoft Purview information protection and data lifecycle management | Minor |
| Implement Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) | Implement Microsoft Purview data loss prevention (DLP) | Minor |
Skills measured prior to July 15, 2024
Audience profile
If you’re an administrator who deploys and manages Microsoft 365 and performs Microsoft 365 tenant-level implementation and administration of cloud and hybrid environments, this exam is designed for you.
As a Microsoft 365 administrator, you:
Function as the integrating hub for all Microsoft 365 workloads.
Coordinate across multiple Microsoft 365 workloads.
Work with architects and other administrators responsible for workloads, infrastructure, identity, security, compliance, endpoints, and applications.
As a candidate for this exam, you have functional experience with all Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID and have administered at least one of these. You should also have a working knowledge of the following:
Networking
Server administration
DNS
PowerShell
Skills at a glance
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant (25–30%)
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access (25–30%)
Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR (25–30%)
Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview (15–20%)
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant (25–30%)
Implement and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant
Create a tenant
Implement and manage domains
Configure organizational settings, including security, privacy, and profile
Identify and respond to service health issues
Configure notifications in service health
Monitor adoption and usage
Manage users and groups
Create and manage users
Create and manage guest users
Create and manage contacts
Create and manage groups, including Microsoft 365 groups
Manage and monitor Microsoft 365 license allocations
Perform bulk user management, including PowerShell
Manage roles in Microsoft 365
Manage roles in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra
Manage role groups for Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft 365 workloads
Manage delegation by using administrative units
Implement privileged identity management for Microsoft Entra roles
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access (25–30%)
Implement and manage identity synchronization with Microsoft Entra tenant
Prepare for identity synchronization by using IdFix
Implement and manage directory synchronization by using Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync
Implement and manage directory synchronization by using Microsoft Entra Connect
Monitor synchronization by using Microsoft Entra Connect Health
Troubleshoot synchronization, including Microsoft Entra Connect and Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync
Implement and manage authentication
Implement and manage authentication methods, including Windows Hello for Business, passwordless, tokens, and the Microsoft Authenticator app
Implement and manage self-service password reset (SSPR)
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Password Protection
Implement and manage multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Investigate and resolve authentication issues
Implement and manage secure access
Plan for identity protection
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra ID Protection
Plan Conditional Access policies
Implement and manage Conditional Access policies
Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR (25–30%)
Manage security reports and alerts by using the Microsoft Defender portal
Review and take actions to improve the Microsoft Secure Score in the Microsoft Defender portal
Review and respond to security incidents and alerts in Microsoft Defender XDR
Review and respond to issues identified in security and compliance reports in Microsoft Defender XDR
Review and respond to threats identified in threat analytics
Implement and manage email and collaboration protection by using Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Implement policies and rules in Defender for Office 365
Review and respond to threats identified in Defender for Office 365, including threats and investigations
Create and run campaigns, such as attack simulation
Unblock users
Implement and manage endpoint protection by using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Onboard devices to Defender for Endpoint
Configure Defender for Endpoint settings
Review and respond to endpoint vulnerabilities
Review and respond to risks identified in the Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management dashboard
Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview (15–20%)
Implement Microsoft Purview information protection and data lifecycle management
Implement and manage sensitive info types by using keywords, keyword lists, or regular expressions
Implement retention labels, retention label policies, and retention policies
Implement sensitivity labels and sensitivity label policies
Implement Microsoft Purview data loss prevention (DLP)
Implement DLP for workloads
Implement Endpoint DLP
Review and respond to DLP alerts, events, and reports