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AZ-104
AZ-140 Exam Guide: Skills, Labs and 6-Week Plan
Direct answer: AZ-140 is a 100-minute, proctored Microsoft exam that leads to the Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty certification, and you need 700 to pass. $165.00 is the USD list price, and Microsoft's price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored. Our voucher costs $44.99. Plan about 48 hours over six weeks, with most of your time on infrastructure, which carries 40-45% of the exam.
The AZ-140 exam earns you the Microsoft Certified: Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty certification. It runs 100 minutes, and you need a score of 700 to pass. Microsoft's USD list price is $165.00, though the price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored. Our voucher costs $44.99.
Below you get the skills and weights, the exam rules, the price comparison, a six-week plan and the mistakes that commonly cost people points.
What AZ-140 proves and who should take it
The official certification page says the credential shows you can plan, deliver, manage and monitor virtual desktop experiences and remote apps on Azure for any device. Microsoft rates it Intermediate, for the Administrator role.
Microsoft expects you to be a server or desktop administrator. You should have experience with Azure compute, networking, identity, storage and resiliency. You should also be comfortable with the Azure portal, templates, scripting and command-line tools.
You will work with Azure administrators, architects, Microsoft 365 administrators, security engineers and Azure Local administrators. If you have never built a virtual network or joined a VM to a domain, spend extra time on Azure basics first.
Skills measured and how they are weighted
The official study guide lists the skills measured as of July 20, 2026. The exam title there is "Configuring and Operating Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop."
Skill area | Weight |
|---|---|
Plan and implement an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure | 40-45% |
Plan and implement identity and security | 15-20% |
Plan and implement user environments and apps | 20-25% |
Monitor and maintain an Azure Virtual Desktop infrastructure | 10-15% |
The largest block covers five topics:
Networking, including RDP Shortpath, RDP Multipath, QoS policies and Azure Private Link.
Storage for user data, including FSLogix, Azure Files and Azure NetApp Files.
Host pool planning, including OS choice and licensing.
Host pool and session host implementation, including automation with PowerShell, Azure CLI, ARM templates and Bicep.
Session host images, including Azure VM Image Builder and Azure Compute Gallery.
Identity and security covers AD DS, Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft Entra Domain Services. It also covers Azure RBAC, Conditional Access, multifactor and passwordless sign-in, Defender for Cloud, NSGs, UDRs, Azure Firewall and Azure Bastion or just-in-time access.
Microsoft notes that the bullets under each skill illustrate how it is assessed, and related topics may appear. Most questions cover generally available features, but commonly used preview features can appear.
Exam format, languages and retake rules
Item | Detail |
|---|---|
Duration | 100 minutes |
Passing score | 700 or greater |
Delivery | Proctored, scheduled through Pearson VUE |
Question style | May include interactive components |
Languages | English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Simplified) |
First retake | 24 hours after the first attempt |
Later retakes | Waiting time varies; see the retake policy |
Microsoft recommends registering with a personal Microsoft account. If you register with a work or school account and leave that organization, your exam records can be lost for good.
If the exam is not offered in your preferred language, the study guide says you can request an extra 30 minutes. Accommodations for assistive devices or extra time are also available through Microsoft.
Before exam day, launch the Exam Sandbox to see the real interface and question types. The practice assessment now lives on AI Skills Navigator, and you must be signed in to open it.
Price: Microsoft list price vs our voucher
Microsoft states that its price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored. The USD list price we reference is $165.00, as published by Microsoft.
Price (USD) | |
|---|---|
Microsoft list price | $165.00 |
Our AZ-140 voucher | $44.99 |
Our AZ-140 voucher is valid for 12 months and is redeemed with Pearson VUE.
Here is how delivery and refunds work:
The code is emailed within 12 hours of payment and also appears in your account.
You can cancel for a full refund before delivery.
A delivered code is non-refundable unless Pearson VUE rejects it as invalid, already used or expired on first use.
In that case, contact support within 14 days with your order number and a screenshot, and we replace or refund the code.
A six-week study plan with weekly hours
This plan assumes about 8 hours a week, or 48 hours in total, and prior Azure admin experience. It front-loads infrastructure because that block carries up to 45% of the score.
Week | Focus | Hours |
|---|---|---|
1 | Networking: bandwidth planning, RDP Shortpath, QoS, Private Link | 8 |
2 | Storage: FSLogix profile containers, Azure Files, Azure NetApp Files | 8 |
3 | Host pools, licensing, session hosts, images, Azure Compute Gallery | 8 |
4 | Identity and security: Entra ID, RBAC, Conditional Access, Defender, NSGs | 8 |
5 | User environments and apps, plus Entra single sign-on | 8 |
6 | Monitoring, practice assessment, sandbox and weak-area review | 8 |
End each week with a 30-minute self-quiz on that week's bullets from the study guide. In week 6, take the free practice assessment. Then reread every bullet you could not explain without notes.
If you are new to Azure, add two weeks of Azure networking, identity and storage fundamentals before week 1.
Labs worth building before exam day
The exam mentions the portal, scripting and command-line tools, so practice all three. Build one small deployment: a host pool, two session hosts, an Azure Files share and a test user group.
These commands help you inspect it. The CLI needs its extension first.
Get-AzWvdHostPool -ResourceGroupName rg-avd-lab
Get-AzWvdSessionHost -ResourceGroupName rg-avd-lab -HostPoolName hp-lab
az extension add --name desktopvirtualization
az desktopvirtualization hostpool list --resource-group rg-avd-lab
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\FSLogix\Profiles" /v VHDLocationsThe last command, run on a session host, shows where FSLogix looks for profile containers. If it points to the wrong share, users get temporary profiles. Break things on purpose, such as a blocked SMB port or a missing share permission, and fix them.
Then redeploy the same host pool from a Bicep file. Automation is a named skill, and it is easy to skim over.
Common mistakes and what to do after passing
These mistakes commonly cost points:
Studying only the portal. The study guide names PowerShell, Azure CLI, ARM templates and Bicep.
Skipping licensing. You must know user eligibility for Windows client access and RDS CAL needs for Windows Server.
Ignoring the smaller domains. Monitoring is only 10-15%, but it can decide a close score.
Using brain dumps. They break exam rules, and questions can include interactive tasks that memorized answers do not cover.
Registering with a work account. Your records can disappear if you change employers.
After you pass, put the renewal date in your calendar. The certification has a 12-month renewal frequency. Microsoft says you renew at no cost by passing an online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Use the same Learn profile you scheduled with, so everything stays in one place.
For related paths, browse our Cloud Computing certifications. When you are ready to book, the AZ-140 voucher page has the current price and details.
Sources
Questions about this topic
How hard is the AZ-140 exam?
Microsoft rates it Intermediate, and it expects real administration experience across Azure networking, storage, identity and compute. Candidates who have never deployed a host pool commonly find it difficult. Build a small lab and finish the free practice assessment before booking.
What happens if I fail AZ-140 on the first try?
Microsoft lets you retake the exam 24 hours after the first attempt. Waiting times for later retakes vary, so check Microsoft's retake policy before you plan your next date.
Can I take AZ-140 in a language other than English?
Yes. Microsoft offers it in English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil) and Simplified Chinese. If your language is not offered, the study guide says you can request an extra 30 minutes.
Do I need to know PowerShell and Bicep for AZ-140?
Yes, at a working level. The study guide lists automating host pool creation with PowerShell, Azure CLI, ARM templates and Bicep files. You do not need to be a developer, but you should read and adjust simple scripts.
Does the AZ-140 certification expire?
Yes, it has a 12-month renewal frequency. Microsoft says you renew for free by passing an online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Renewing keeps the credential active without paying for another exam.
