What’s the easiest Microsoft certification?

Why the Fundamentals exams are the easiest

Microsoft sorts its certifications into Fundamentals, Associate, Expert and Specialty levels. Fundamentals exams are the entry point. They have no prerequisites and assume no job experience, and they test whether you know what a service or concept is for, not whether you can build or administer it.

Associate exams such as AZ-104 are a different kind of test. They describe a working environment and ask what you would configure, and they expect hands-on experience. Going from a Fundamentals exam to an Associate exam is the biggest jump in difficulty on the Microsoft path.

The easiest Fundamentals exam for your background

Every Fundamentals exam is entry-level, so the deciding factor is how much of the vocabulary you already use at work:

• AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals: cloud concepts, core Azure services, security, pricing and governance. The default first exam, and the one with the most free study material.
• AI-901 Azure AI Fundamentals: AI and machine-learning concepts and Azure’s AI services. It replaced AI-900, which retired on 30 June 2026.
• AB-900 Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals: managing and protecting Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents. A good fit if you already administer Microsoft 365.
• SC-900 Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals: identity, security and compliance concepts across Microsoft’s cloud.
• PL-900 Power Platform Fundamentals: Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI and related tools.
• DP-900 Azure Data Fundamentals: core data concepts and Azure’s data services.

Watch for out-of-date lists

Microsoft changed several exams in 2026, and many “easiest certification” articles have not caught up. AI-900 retired on 30 June 2026 and AI-901 replaced it. MS-900, the Microsoft 365 Fundamentals exam, retired in March 2026 with no direct replacement. Outside the Fundamentals level, AZ-500 was replaced by SC-500.

Before you study from any list, including this one, open the exam’s page on Microsoft Learn and check that the code is current and the study guide has a recent “skills measured as of” date.

Is the easiest certification the right one?

Often, but not always. A Fundamentals certification is worth it if you are new to Microsoft’s cloud, work alongside technical teams, or want a low-risk first exam. It teaches the vocabulary the Associate exams assume, and Microsoft Fundamentals certifications do not expire.

If you already deploy or administer Azure, the Fundamentals exam will mostly test things you know. No Associate exam requires a Fundamentals certification first, so you can book AZ-104 directly. The AZ-900 vs AZ-104 comparison covers that decision in detail.

How to judge the difficulty for yourself

Take Microsoft’s free Practice Assessment for the exam on Microsoft Learn before you study anything. Your cold score shows how much of the syllabus you already know, which is a better guide than anyone’s ranking.

Then read the exam’s official study guide and mark each skill you could already explain. The exam with the most marks is your easiest one. SaveMyCert’s “How hard is…” guides for AZ-900 and AI-901 explain what makes each exam hard for first-time candidates, and the free practice questions explain every answer option.