Microsoft Exam (AZ-900) Check-in 2026: Microsoft OnVUE Guide

This guide walks you through taking Microsoft AZ-900 as an online proctored exam, using Microsoft Learn and Pearson VUE pages as of October 2026. Wherever the sources disagree or say nothing, I say so instead of guessing.

How This Exam Is Delivered

Microsoft delivers its certification exams through Pearson VUE. You can take AZ-900 at a Pearson VUE test center or online with OnVUE, Pearson’s remote proctoring software, which runs inside a secure browser. This article covers the online option, with a test center comparison further down.

Item	Detail
Exam	AZ-900, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
Duration	45 minutes of exam time for Fundamentals exams, with 65 minutes of seat time (instructions, agreement and comments included)
Number of questions	Microsoft says most of its exams have 40 to 60 questions and publishes no AZ-900-specific count (confirm on the official page)
Passing score	700
Delivery platform	Pearson VUE: OnVUE (online proctored) or a Pearson VUE test center
Check-in window	From 30 minutes before to 15 minutes after your appointment time
Languages	English first; localized versions follow roughly eight weeks after an English update, where available

Microsoft shows your exact exam time at registration. Some community posts claim the AZ-900 timing and question pattern changed, and I could not confirm that on an official page, so trust the figure shown on your registration and launch screens over any blog, including this one.

Exam Tip: If AZ-900 is not offered in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes. Do this at scheduling time with Microsoft, not on exam day, and do the same for any accommodation: Microsoft says to request accommodations before you schedule.

Where online testing is not available

Microsoft says online proctoring is available in most countries and regions, but not all, and it does not publish the list on its online-exams page. The scheduling flow will tell you what is offered for your location. Also note that the greeter, the proctor and the proctoring software work in English, with limited Japanese support, even though the exam itself may be localized (confirm on the official page). Microsoft’s Candidate Rules also treat misrepresenting the country where you take an online exam as misconduct, so schedule from the country where you will actually be sitting.

Pre-Exam Preparation

Hardware and Network Requirements

Test on the same computer, in the same room, on the same network you will use on exam day. A passing system test somewhere else proves nothing.

Use Windows 10 or macOS 14 or higher.
Have a working webcam, microphone and speaker. Headphones and headsets are not allowed.
Connect only one display. Unplug any additional monitor and turn off other computers in the area. A touchscreen or secondary display that cannot be removed must be disconnected and covered, per Pearson.
Use a stable connection with at least 6 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up. Microsoft recommends a hard-wired connection if you can.
Do not use a virtual machine, a beta operating system, a VPN, or a corporate, public or shared network.
Use an account with local administrator permissions. OnVUE needs it to install and run its secure browser.
Turn off browser pop-up blockers and stop background processes. Microsoft says security software must not block certain scripting components, and you may need an antivirus exception for the OnVUE Secure Browser.
Prefer a personal computer. Microsoft warns that work computers often block OnVUE, and proxies or packet filtering on a network can disrupt the exam.
Have a mobile phone for the photos, and add your mobile number, with country code, to your Microsoft Certification profile. If you have no phone, the webcam can be used for the room photos.
Run the OnVUE system test, restart your computer, and ask people on your network not to stream or download large files during your slot.
After the exam, uninstall the Pearson VUE Secure Browser and its related files.

Exam Tip: A company laptop is the most common reason people cannot start. Locked-down admin rights, endpoint security and a VPN each break OnVUE on their own. Use a personal machine, and run the system test again on exam day.

ID Requirements

Both Microsoft and Pearson describe a single valid, government-issued photo ID, with no secondary ID mentioned on either page. That differs from some other vendors, so do not assume a second document is required, but check Pearson’s full ID policy for your country (confirm on the official page).

Accepted types: a passport, a plastic driver’s license, a national, state or provincial ID card, a green card or similar permanent resident or visa card, and, per Pearson’s Microsoft page, a non-U.S. military ID. Certain other documents are covered by Pearson’s ID policy.
Paper IDs are accepted only in Algeria, Brazil, Cameroon and the Dominican Republic.
Not accepted: expired, digital, damaged, copied or privately issued IDs, and birth certificates.
Minors: must present their own ID, and a parent or guardian must be present with their ID and consent, according to Pearson.

Name matching

Microsoft says the name on your ID must match exactly the name on your Microsoft Certification profile. That is the profile you sign in through, not your display name on a social account and not necessarily the name on your Pearson account. Open your certification profile now and compare it with your ID letter by letter: spelling, order, hyphens and any middle name. Microsoft also says it does not accept legal name-change forms, including ID renewal forms, as a substitute. The pages do not explain how accents, initials or non-Latin names are compared, so if yours is unusual, ask Microsoft Credentials support before your appointment (confirm on the official page).

Which ID to use if you are testing outside the US

Neither page gives country-specific rules beyond the paper-ID list. For most candidates, the safest choice is the document that shows your full name most clearly and is unexpired: a passport, or a national ID card or driver’s license issued by your country. If you have both a passport and a national card, pick the one whose name spelling matches your Microsoft profile exactly. Check Pearson’s ID policy for your country before you book (confirm on the official page).

Exam Tip: Fix a name mismatch before you schedule, not on the morning of the exam. If the name does not match, the greeter will not let you test, and Pearson says the fee is forfeited when a requirement is not met.

Testing Environment

Use a walled room with a closed door, free from interruptions. Not a bathroom, and not a public space.
Be alone. Microsoft’s rules say the proctor ends the exam if anyone other than a child under 13 is in the room, and Pearson’s Microsoft page adds that young children may stay in the space if you tell the proctor before you leave camera view to tend to them.
Clear the desk except for the computer. Keep books, notepads, sticky notes, typed notes and writing tools (including whiteboards) out of arm’s reach.
Remove electronics, bags, wallets, coats, hats or head coverings, watches and weapons from the desk and arm’s reach. Pearson also lists tissues and food.
Clear whiteboards and note boards in the room.
Do not eat, smoke or chew gum. A drink is allowed in a transparent, spill-proof container, per Microsoft.
Make sure nobody can see your screen.
Be fully dressed throughout.

Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough

Microsoft publishes the launch sequence, so this is closer to an official order than for most exams. Check-in takes about 15 minutes, and sometimes longer.

Run the system test and sign in. Open the system test on your exam computer, then sign in to Microsoft Learn with the Microsoft account linked to your certification profile. Sticking point: signing in with the wrong account, so you do not see your appointment. Fix: use the account tied to your certification profile.
Open your appointment. Go to your profile, open Certifications, select Go to the exam on your appointment, then select the exam under Purchased Online Exams. Sticking point: starting too late. Fix: you can begin from 30 minutes before to 15 minutes after your appointment, so start at the 30-minute mark.
Take photos with your phone. Take the headshot, a photo of your ID and photos of your testing area, then upload them. Sticking point: glare on the ID or a cluttered room in the photos. Fix: put the ID flat under soft light, and clear the room before you start. If you have no phone, the webcam can be used for the room photos.
Select Begin exam and complete self check-in. You must select this to launch the exam process. Sticking point: the secure browser fails to launch. Fix: close other applications, check your admin rights, turn off any VPN, and look at antivirus settings.
Meet the greeter. A greeter verifies your identity, reviews your room scan and puts you in the proctor queue. You may be asked to turn out your pockets, roll up long sleeves, lift a tie or pull back long hair so they can see there is nothing hidden. Sticking point: being asked to move objects. Fix: do it without arguing.
Wait for the proctor. If you have not heard from a proctor within 30 minutes, the connection may have dropped; use Pearson OnVUE Support live chat. Sticking point: a long wait that makes you think it has frozen. Fix: stay in place, keep your phone within hearing range, and use the chat only after 30 minutes.
Start the exam when the proctor tells you to. Keep your phone out of reach but where you can hear it ring, since the proctor may call if chat fails. Sticking point: your phone is on silent. Fix: turn the ringer on before you set it down.
Finish properly. When the exam ends, uninstall the Pearson VUE Secure Browser and related files.

What the Proctor Looks For During the Room Scan

Your desk: clear apart from the exam computer, with books, notepads, sticky notes and writing instruments out of arm’s reach.
Extra screens and computers: additional monitors unplugged and turned away, other computers off.
Your body and clothing: pockets empty, no writing on your arms, nothing at your ears.
Other people: nobody else in the room, apart from a permitted child under 13.
Screen visibility: nobody able to see your screen.
Boards and notes: whiteboards and note boards cleared.
The space: a closed-door, walled room, not a bathroom or public space.

The greeter reviews your room photos together with your headshot and ID, and flags security risks before the exam launches.

Rules During the Exam

Microsoft does not publish a warning ladder. What it does publish is when a proctor ends an exam and what can happen next, so I have split the behaviors into what the sources say is fixable and what the sources treat as grounds for termination. Treat both tiers seriously (confirm on the official page).

Tier 1: Fixable Problems the Greeter or Proctor Can Raise

Items in your room or on your desk that the greeter wants moved before launch.
A technical problem. The proctor contacts you by chat, or by phone if chat fails, and cannot pause or extend the exam or fix your computer or network.
Clothing checks, such as pockets or sleeves.

Tier 2: Behaviors That Can End the Exam, Void Results or Lead to a Ban

Breaking the Candidate Rules Agreement, or any suspected cheating or tampering with the exam software. The proctor ends the exam and reports it to Microsoft with audio and video evidence.
Having someone other than a child under 13 in the room.
Using any AI tool to assist you in any way.
Having a phone, watch, notes or other unauthorized items, or receiving help from anyone.
Copying, recording, photographing, sharing or discussing exam questions, or using braindumps.
Leaving camera view for a break without starting the break through the exam interface. Microsoft says the exam is then revoked.
Misrepresenting your identity or the country where you take the exam.

What the consequences look like

Under the Candidate Rules, Microsoft may prohibit you from taking any exam, invalidate your results, and keep your exam fees without refund. Microsoft’s online-exams page also says it may decertify a candidate and ban them from the certification program; the Candidate Rules page itself mentions the ban and invalidation but not decertification. If you believe your score is wrong, the Candidate Rules give you 15 days after the exam to challenge it through Microsoft’s help page. I could not find a published appeal process for misconduct findings, invalidations or bans, so if that happens to you, contact Microsoft Credentials support right away (confirm on the official page). Microsoft also tells you the session is recorded, that AI tools may flag potential violations, and that humans make the final decisions.

Rules on Breaks, Scratch Paper and Drinks

This is where Microsoft is more generous than many vendors, and where the sources need careful reading. Pearson’s general OnVUE wording says not all exams offer breaks. Microsoft’s own exam page is more specific: unscheduled breaks are allowed on all exams except Microsoft Office Specialist, without an advance request. Follow Microsoft.

Five minutes are built into the exam time for breaks.
The clock keeps running during a break, and you can take several breaks of any length. If time runs out, the exam is scored on what you completed.
Start a break with the Take a break icon in the left navigation pane, then select Start Break. Leaving camera view any other way risks revocation.
Answer or review questions first. After a break, you cannot return to questions you already viewed, even if they are unanswered or marked for review.
No unauthorized materials may be accessed during a break.
Breaks cannot be taken during a lab or within problem-solution question sets, though they can be taken before or during case studies.

Exam Tip: A break is not free time. The clock does not stop, and you lose access to every question you have already seen. On a 45-minute exam, use it only if you truly need it.

For notes, you get the digital whiteboard in the exam interface. Physical whiteboards, pens, pencils and paper are not allowed. Because AZ-900 is a Fundamentals exam, you also do not get access to Microsoft Learn during the test; that is limited to associate and expert exams.

On drinks, Pearson’s Microsoft page allows a beverage in an unmarked container, and Microsoft’s online-exams page specifies a transparent, spill-proof container. Follow the vendor: use a clear, spill-proof bottle with no label. Eating, smoking and chewing gum are not allowed without an approved accommodation.

Online Proctored vs. Test Center

Item	Online (OnVUE)	Test center
Where you test	A private, walled room you set up	A Pearson VUE test center
Equipment	Your own computer, webcam, microphone and network	Center computer and network (confirm on the official page)
Check-in	Photos of you, your ID and your room; greeter review; proctor queue	ID check and check-in at the center (confirm on the official page)
Recording	Video and audio of you, your voice and your room; facial comparison with your ID	Microsoft says to schedule at a test center if you do not want to be recorded or have your face compared
Breaks	Unscheduled breaks allowed through the exam interface	Microsoft’s break rule is not tied to delivery mode (confirm on the official page)
Notes	Digital whiteboard only	Ask the center what it provides (confirm on the official page)
Availability	Most, but not all, countries	Wherever Pearson VUE centers exist

Online suits you if you have a closed, quiet room, a personal computer you can install software on, and a stable connection. A test center suits you if you only have a locked-down work laptop, your home is noisy or shared, your internet is unreliable, or you do not want to be recorded in your home.

Exam Day Checklist

The Night Before

Run the OnVUE system test on your exam computer, in your exam room.
Unplug your second monitor and turn off other computers in the room.
Compare your ID against your Microsoft Certification profile name, letter by letter.
Check that your mobile number, with country code, is on your profile.
Charge your phone and put the ID where you will find it.
Tell your household your exam time.

60 Minutes Before

Restart your computer, close all applications and turn off any VPN.
Ask people on your network to stay off streaming and large downloads.
Clear the desk: books, notepads, pens, tissues, food and bags go out of arm’s reach.
Take off your watch and hat, and put headphones away.
Fill a clear, spill-proof, unlabeled bottle.
Use the restroom.

30 Minutes Before

Sign in to Microsoft Learn, open Certifications and select Go to the exam.
Take your headshot, ID photo and room photos on your phone and upload them.
Select Begin exam and complete self check-in.
Do what the greeter asks, including pocket and sleeve checks.
Put your phone out of reach but within hearing, with the ringer on.

During the Exam

Stay in front of the camera and keep your room closed.
Do not speak or read aloud unless instructed.
Use the digital whiteboard for notes.
If you need a break, start it through the Take a break icon.
If something breaks, use the in-exam chat. The proctor cannot pause or extend the exam.
When you finish, uninstall the Pearson VUE Secure Browser.

FAQ

Questions Candidates Ask Most

What happens if my internet drops mid-exam?

Close OnVUE and relaunch it from your downloads folder, and use the in-exam chat to reach the proctor. If problems persist, contact customer service for your exam program. The proctor cannot pause the exam, extend it or fix your connection. Microsoft says its retake waiting period can be waived for internet or equipment failure during the exam if you provide the Pearson VUE case number. The pages do not say how the clock is treated during a disconnect (confirm on the official page).

Can I use my laptop’s built-in webcam?

The requirement is a working webcam, microphone and speaker, so a built-in webcam that passes the system test should be fine. For the check-in photos, Microsoft expects you to use a mobile phone, with the webcam as a fallback for room photos if you have none (confirm on the official page).

What if I am late or check-in takes too long?

You can check in from 30 minutes before to 15 minutes after your appointment time, and the process usually takes about 15 minutes. If you have not heard from a proctor within 30 minutes, use Pearson OnVUE Support live chat. The pages do not state a rule for arriving after the 15-minute mark, so contact Pearson VUE support right away rather than waiting (confirm on the official page).

What if the name on my ID does not match my profile?

Do not try your luck at check-in. Microsoft requires an exact match, and legal name-change forms are not accepted. Contact Microsoft Credentials support to correct your profile before the exam.

Can I use my work laptop?

It is a bad idea. Microsoft says work computers often block OnVUE, and corporate networks, VPNs and proxies are all restricted. Use a personal computer if you can.

Can I use the restroom or take a break?

You can take unscheduled breaks through the exam interface, but the clock keeps running and you cannot return to questions you have already seen. Leaving the camera without starting a break through the interface can get your exam revoked. Use the restroom before check-in.

Can I look things up on Microsoft Learn during AZ-900?

No. Microsoft Learn access during the exam is available only on associate and expert exams, not Fundamentals.

What if I fail?

You can retake after 24 hours. After that, you wait 14 days between attempts, up to five attempts within 12 months of your first attempt. You must pay for each retake if a fee applies, and you cannot retake a passed exam unless the certification has expired.

Sources and Policy Pages

Official Pages and Reference Links

References

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