200+ Free SC-401 Practice Questions
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Key Facts: SC-401 Exam
40-60 Q
Typical Questions
Microsoft
700/1000
Passing Score
Microsoft
100 min
Exam Duration
Microsoft
US$165
US Exam Fee
Microsoft
3 domains
Skills Areas
Microsoft
12 months
Renewal Cycle
Microsoft
SC-401 is Microsoft's associate-level information protection and Purview administration exam. Microsoft lists a 100-minute exam time, a scaled passing score of 700/1000, and most certification exams typically contain 40-60 questions. The current study guide was updated on February 4, 2025 and remains the live blueprint as of March 9, 2026, including AI-data protection and DSPM for AI coverage; the older Information Protection Administrator Associate retired on May 31, 2025, and previously earned certifications remain valid through May 31, 2026.
About the SC-401 Exam
The SC-401 exam validates practical Microsoft Purview administration skills for protecting sensitive data across Microsoft 365. It focuses on information protection, data loss prevention, retention, insider risk management, auditing, alert response, and protecting data used by AI services.
Questions
50 scored questions
Time Limit
100 minutes
Passing Score
700/1000
Exam Fee
US$165 (Microsoft / Pearson VUE)
SC-401 Exam Content Outline
Implement information protection
Classify sensitive content, manage sensitive info types and classifiers, deploy sensitivity labels, protect containers, use Defender for Cloud Apps labeling, and implement Purview encryption and scanning workflows.
Implement data loss prevention and retention
Design DLP policies, interpret rule precedence, configure Adaptive Protection, manage Endpoint DLP, create retention labels and policies, and use adaptive scopes plus policy lookup.
Manage risks, alerts, and activities
Operate Insider Risk Management, use Purview Audit and activity explorer, respond to DLP and file-policy alerts, run content searches, and protect data used by AI services with DSPM for AI controls.
How to Pass the SC-401 Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 700/1000
- Exam length: 50 questions
- Time limit: 100 minutes
- Exam fee: US$165
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
SC-401 Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the SC-401 exam focus on?
SC-401 focuses on Microsoft Purview administration for sensitive-data protection in Microsoft 365. The exam emphasizes information protection, data loss prevention, retention, insider risk, auditing, alert response, and controls for data used by AI services.
How many questions are on SC-401 and how long is it?
Microsoft lists a 100-minute time limit for SC-401. Microsoft also states that most certification exams typically contain 40-60 questions, and the passing score is 700 out of 1000.
What changed for SC-401 in 2026?
As of March 9, 2026, Microsoft has not published a separate 2026 blueprint refresh for SC-401. The current live study guide is the February 4, 2025 version, which explicitly includes AI-data protection and DSPM for AI, and SC-401 is the replacement for the retired Information Protection Administrator Associate.
How should I prepare for SC-401?
Study by official domain weight and spend equal time across the three domains because Microsoft weights them evenly. Pair Microsoft Learn with hands-on Purview work for labels, DLP, retention, insider risk, audit search, and AI protection scenarios so you can answer operational questions instead of relying on memorization alone.