The Microsoft AZ-400 exam, or the DevOps Engineer Expert certification, has become one of the most sought-after qualifications in the IT industry. As companies around the world continue to push for cloud adoption, DevOps practices, and automation, passing this exam in 2026 is crucial for engineers who want to stay ahead of the curve.

Having helped countless candidates pass the AZ-400 exam and recover from failed attempts, I’ve seen firsthand how Microsoft continuously refines and adjusts its exam patterns. The subtle changes they make to exam questions can trip up even the most experienced professionals.

So, what’s different about the January 2026 version of the AZ-400 exam?

• GitHub Actions replacing legacy pipelines: A significant shift in how DevOps professionals manage CI/CD workflows.
• Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Bicep): The emphasis on automating infrastructure management is now clearer than ever.
• AKS security and container governance: With the rise of Kubernetes, mastering AKS security and container governance is a must.
• Automation-first DevOps design: The exam now puts more focus on designing solutions that prioritize automation, scalability, and security.

If you’re relying on outdated dumps, you might find yourself confidently walking into the exam—only to be blindsided by new question logic that reflects these changes. The key to passing the AZ-400 in 2026 is verified, up-to-date practice questions that align with the latest exam objectives.

Now, let’s get straight to the point.

Free AZ-400 Real Exam Questions

Below are 15 sample questions from recently validated AZ-400 exams, designed to help you understand the current exam format. Because the exam questions are quite lengthy, we have created an AZ-400 PDF file for easy practice anytime.

Number of exam questions	Complete exam practice
15 (Free)	614 Q&A (Leads4Pass)

1. Which type of widget should you use?

You are creating a dashboard in Azure Boards.

You need to visualize the time from when work starts on a work item until the work item is closed.

A. cycle time

B. velocity

C. cumulative flow

D. lead time

Correct Answer: A

2. Which option should you select in the Diagnostics settings of the database?

You have a web app hosted on Azure App Service. The web app stores data in an Azure SQL database. You need to generate an alert when there are 10,000 simultaneous connections to the database. The solution must minimize deve4opment effort.

A. Send to Log Analytics

B. Archive to m storage account

C. Stream to an event hub

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

ENABLE DIAGNOSTICS TO LOG ANALYTICS This configuration is done PER DATABASE

1. Click on Diagnostics Settings and then Turn On Diagnostics

2. Select to Send to Log Analytics and select the Log Analytics workspace. For this sample I will selected only Errors

Reference: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/azure-database-support-blog/azure-sql-db-and-log-analytics-better-together-part-1/ba-p/794833

3. AZ-400 EXAM SIMULATION

You need to prepare a network security group (NSG) named az400-9940427-nsg1 to host an Azure DevOps pipeline agent. The solution must allow only the required outbound port for Azure DevOps and deny all other inbound and outbound access to the Internet.

To complete this task, sign in to the Microsoft Azure portal.

Correct Answer: See solution below.

1.

Open Microsoft Azure Portal and Log into your Azure account.

2.

Select network security group (NSG) named az400-9940427-nsg1

3.

Select Settings, Outbound security rules, and click Add

4.

Click Advanced

5.

Change the following settings: Destination Port range: 8080 Protocol. TCP Action: Allow

Note: By default, Azure DevOps Server uses TCP Port 8080.

References: https://robertsmit.wordpress.com/2017/09/11/step-by-step-azure-network-security-groups-nsg-security-center-azure-nsg-network/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/server/architecture/required-ports?view=azure-devops

4. What should you do?

You have an Azure pipeline that is used to build and deploy an app named App1. The build job uses a Microsoft-hosted Windows agent.

The build job for App1 intermittently returns a timeout error.

You need to ensure that the build job completes successfully. The solution must minimize administrative effort.

A. Change the configuration of the build agent.

B. Deploy a self-hosted agent.

C. Change to a Microsoft-hosted Linux agent.

D. Purchase more parallel jobs.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

Job time-out A pipeline can run for a long time and then fail due to job time-out. Job timeout closely depends on the agent being used. Free Microsoft hosted agents have a max timeout of 60 minutes per job for a private repository and 360 minutes for a public repository. To increase the max timeout for a job, you can opt for any of the following.

Buy a Microsoft hosted agent which will give you 360 minutes for all jobs, irrespective of the repository used *-> Use a self-hosted agent to rule out any timeout issues due to the agent

Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/pipelines/troubleshooting/troubleshooting

5. What should you do first?

You have a GitHub Enterprise account.

You need to enable push protection for secret scanning of the account repositories.

A. Purchase a GitHub Advanced Security license.

B. Purchase Premium Plus support.

C. Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA).

D. Create an access policy for secrets.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

Enabling secret scanning as a push protection

For you to use secret scanning as a push protection, the organization or repository needs to have both GitHub Advanced Security and secret scanning enabled.

Reference: https://docs.github.com/en/enterprise-cloud@latest/code-security/secret-scanning/protecting-pushes-with-secret-scanning

6. What will Azure DevOps use to authenticate with the tool?

You store source code in a Git repository in Azure repos. You use a third-party continuous integration (CI) tool to control builds.

A. certificate authentication

B. a personal access token (PAT)

C. a Shared Access Signature (SAS) token

D. NTLM authentication

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

Personal access tokens (PATs) give you access to Azure DevOps and Team Foundation Server (TFS), without using your username and password directly.

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/repos/git/auth-overview

7. How should you confrere the release retention policy for the investment planning depletions suite?

HOTSPOT

To answer, select the appropriate options in the answer area. NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

Hot Area:

Correct Answer:

Explanation:

Every request made against a storage service must be authorized, unless the request is for a blob or container resource that has been made available for public or signed access. One option for authorizing a request is by using Shared Key.

Scenario: The mobile applications must be able to call the share pricing service of the existing retirement fund management system. Until the system is upgraded, the service will only support basic authentication over HTTPS.

The investment planning applications suite will include one multi-tier web application and two iOS mobile application. One mobile application will be used by employees; the other will be used by customers.

References: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/rest/api/storageservices/authorize-withshared-key

8. Which strategy should you recommend?

You plan to deploy a solution that will include multiple microservices.

You need to recommend a deployment strategy for the microservices. The solution must meet the following requirements:

1.

Enable testing and monitoring of changes during a gradual rollout.

2.

Control the number of users that will receive new code releases.

A. progressive exposure

B. A/B

C. feature toggle

D. blue/green

Correct Answer: A

9. Which three actions should you perform in sequence? To answer, move the appropriate actions from the list of actions to the answer area and arrange them in the correct order.

DRAG DROP

You have a project in Azure DevOps named Project1 that contains two Azure DevOps pipelines named Pipeline1 and Pipeline2.

You need to ensure that Pipeline1 can deploy code successfully to an Azure web app named webapp1. The solution must ensure that Pipeline2 does not have permission to webapp1.

Select and Place:

Correct Answer:

10. What should you do?

You have a project in Azure DevOps named Project1. Project1 contains a published wiki.

You need to change the order of pages in the navigation pane of the published wiki in the Azure DevOps portal.

A. At the root of the wiki, create a file named .order that defines the page hierarchy.

B. At the root of the wiki, create a file named wiki.md that defines the page hierarchy.

C. Rename the pages in the navigation pane.

D. Drag and drop the pages in the navigation pane.

Correct Answer: A

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/devops/project/wiki/add-edit-wiki

11. Which two Notifications settings should you clear? Each correct answer presents part of the solution.

You use GitHub for source control and project-related discussions.

You receive a notification when an entry is made to any team discussion.

You need to ensure that you receive email notifications only for discussions in which you commented or in which you are mentioned.

NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

A. Participating

B. Automatically watch repositories

C. Automatically watch teams

D. Watching

Correct Answer: BC

12. Does this meet the goal?

Note: This question is part of a series of questions that present the same scenario. Each question in the series contains a unique solution that might meet the stated goals. Some question sets might have more than one correct solution, while others might not have a correct solution.

After you answer a question in this section, you will NOT be able to return to it. As a result, these questions will not appear in the review screen.

You need to recommend an integration strategy for the build process of a Java application. The solution must meet the following requirements:

1.

The builds must access an on-premises dependency management system.

2.

The build outputs must be stored as Server artifacts in Azure DevOps.

3.

The source code must be stored in a Git repository in Azure DevOps.

Solution: Configure the build pipeline to use a Hosted Ubuntu agent pool. Include the Java Tool Installer task in the build pipeline.

A. Yes

B. No

Correct Answer: B

Instead use Octopus Tentacle.

Reference: https://explore.emtecinc.com/blog/octopus-for-automated-deployment-in-devops-models

13. How should you complete the code? To answer, drag the appropriate values to the correct targets. Each value may be used once, more than once, or not at all. You may need to drag the split bar between panes or scroll to view content.

DRAG DROP

You have a GitHub repository named repo1 that stores the code of an app named App1.

You need deploy a workflow for repo1 by using GitHub Actions. The solution must meet the following requirements:

Scan on pushes to the main branch.

Scan on pull requests to the main branch.

Scan on pull requests to any branch that has a prefix of releases/.

Scan all the files in the subdirectories of the src directory.

Exclude scanning of markdown files.

NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

Select and Place:

Correct Answer:

Explanation:

Box 1: – \’releases/**\’

Scan on pull requests to any branch that has a prefix of releases/.

Note: You can use special characters in path, branch, and tag filters.

*: Matches zero or more characters, but does not match the / character. For example, Octo* matches Octocat.

**: Matches zero or more of any character.

Box 2: – \’src/**\’

Scan all the files in the subdirectories of the src directory.

Use the paths filter when you want to include file path patterns or when you want to both include and exclude file path patterns.

Box 3: – \’**/*.md\’

Exclude scanning of markdown files.

Use the paths-ignore filter when you only want to exclude file path patterns.

Reference:

https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions

https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#filter-pattern-cheat-sheet

14. Which three actions should you perform in sequence? To answer, move the appropriate actions from the list of actions to the answer area and arrange them in the correct order.

DRAG DROP

You manage the Git repository for a large enterprise application.

During the development of the application, you use a file named Config.json.

You need to prevent Config.json from being committed to the source control whenever changes to the application are committed.

Select and Place:

Correct Answer:

Explanation:

Step 1: Delete and recreate the repository.

Step 2: Add Config.json to the .gitignore file

Each line in the .gitignore excludes a file or set of files that match a pattern.

Example:

# ignore a single file

Config.json

Step 3: Run the git add .gitignore command

At the initial commit we want basically move from Untracked to Staged, for staging we have to indicate which file we want to move or specify a pattern, as example:

Reference:

http://hermit.no/how-to-find-the-best-gitignore-for-visual-studio-and-azure-devops/

How to add an existing project into Azure DevOps repo with GIT

15. Which Azure DevOps service should you use to replace each tool? To answer, select the appropriate options in the answer area.

HOTSPOT

You currently use JIRA, Jenkins, and Octopus as part of your DevOps processes.

You plan to use Azure DevOps to replace these tools.

NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

Hot Area:

Correct Answer:

Explanation:

JIRA: Release pipelines Atlassian\’s Jira Software is a popular application that helps teams to plan, track, and manage software releases, whereas Octopus Deploy helps teams automate their development and operations processes in a fast, repeatable, and reliable manner. Together, they enable teams to get better end-to-end visibility into their software pipelines from idea to production.

Jenkins: Repos One way to integrate Jenkins with Azure Pipelines is to run CI jobs in Jenkins separately. This involves configuration of a CI pipeline in Jenkins and a web hook in Azure DevOps that invokes the CI process when source code is pushed to a repository or a branch.

Octopus: Build pipelines

References: https://octopus.com/blog/octopus-jira-integration

https://www.azuredevopslabs.com/labs/vstsextend/jenkins

…

Recommended AZ-400 Preparation Resource

Based on feedback from recent test-takers, Leads4Pass offers an excellent resource for those preparing for the January 2026 AZ-400 exam. The practice tests are updated frequently to match Microsoft’s changes in exam objectives, and they offer a realistic practice environment.

What makes the difference is not the number of questions but the depth and relevance of the coverage. Candidates who passed in 2026 often mentioned how the practice environment mimicked the actual exam, providing them with the confidence they needed on exam day.

For more information, visit Leads4Pass AZ-400.

Conclusion

Passing the AZ-400 exam in 2026 requires a balanced approach: hands-on practice, targeted question review, and final exam simulation. Don’t underestimate the importance of current, verified practice tests. Utilize a trusted resource to validate your readiness before attempting the actual exam.

AZ-400 Certification Career Path Calculator 2026

Achieving the AZ-400 certification can significantly boost your career and earning potential. Here’s a simplified breakdown:

Career Stage	Estimated Salary (USD)	Next Certification Step
Entry-Level DevOps Engineer	$70,000–$90,000	AZ-104 (Azure Administrator)
Mid-Level DevOps Engineer	$90,000–$110,000	AZ-400 (DevOps Engineer Expert)
Senior DevOps Engineer	$110,000–$130,000	Kubernetes and Docker Certifications
Lead DevOps Engineer	$130,000–$160,000	CCSP (Cloud Security Professional)
DevOps Architect	$150,000–$180,000	AWS DevOps Engineer Certification

The AZ-400 certification sets the stage for higher-level certifications, especially in cloud security or Kubernetes, further expanding your career prospects and salary growth.

By following these strategies and understanding the career path, you’ll be better positioned to succeed in the AZ-400 exam and advance in the DevOps field.