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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Take a free Practice Assessment Test your skills with practice questions to help you prepare for the exam.

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