ACS Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield ACS facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A technician needs to recover a FileVault-encrypted Mac whose user has forgotten their login password. What is the correct recovery method? → Use the FileVault Recovery Key or the linked Apple ID to unlock and reset the password
2. An organization needs all company iPhones to use a specific DNS server. Which MDM payload achieves this? → DNS Settings payload
3. What Apple feature lets iPhone and iPad users control their device entirely with their voice, including dictating text and navigating the UI? → Voice Control
4. Which utility helps repair disk errors on a Mac? → Disk Utility - First Aid
5. What Apple ecosystem feature allows a user's iPhone Hotspot to be used by their Mac automatically without entering a password? → Instant Hotspot via Continuity
6. What is Apple's 'Personal Voice' feature introduced in iOS 17 designed for? → Allowing users with speech loss to create a synthesized version of their own voice
7. On macOS Ventura and later, where are configuration profiles installed by the user or MDM visible for inspection? → System Settings > Privacy & Security > Profiles
8. What is an essential part of effective troubleshooting? → Confirming and reproducing the issue
9. What does the Apple 'Three Rs' service philosophy emphasize in customer interactions? → Reach, Resolve, Retain
10. Which Apple technology allows users to share approximate location instead of precise location with apps on iOS and macOS? → Precise Location toggle in Privacy > Location Services per app
11. What does SMART status 'Failing' indicate when reported by Disk Utility? → The drive is experiencing hardware-level errors and should be replaced immediately
12. When an employee leaves a company, what MDM action should an IT administrator perform on their corporate-owned device? → Remote wipe to erase all data and return it to factory settings
13. Which feature allows iPhone users in the US to install apps from sources other than the App Store in iOS 17.4+? → Alternative marketplaces (sideloading for EU; not yet broadly available in US)
14. What should an ACS specialist do first when helping a customer set up accessibility features on a new iPhone? → Ask the customer about their specific accessibility needs before recommending features
15. Which keyboard shortcut enables VoiceOver on a Mac? → Command + F5
16. What is the purpose of the 'Secure Enclave' in Apple devices? → It stores and processes biometric data (Face ID/Touch ID) in an isolated processor
17. A user's iPhone is stuck in a boot loop. Which recovery mode allows restoring iOS without erasing data if possible? → Recovery Mode (iTunes/Finder)
18. What Apple tool is specifically used to prepare and supervise iOS/iPadOS devices for deployment using USB or network connections? → Apple Configurator 2
19. How should service representatives handle mistakes? → Acknowledge and correct the mistake
20. An ACS specialist advises a customer that their app keeps getting removed by iOS. What is the most likely reason? → The app's provisioning profile or certificate has expired
21. What happens when a user drags a file from a Mac to the edge of the screen where an iPad is positioned using Universal Control? → The cursor moves to the iPad and the file can be dropped into an iPad app
22. A user receives an email warning that their Apple ID was used to sign in from an unknown device. Which Apple security feature sent this notification? → Two-Factor Authentication trusted device notification
23. What is the maximum Wi-Fi standard supported by recent iPhone models (iPhone 15 Pro and later)? → Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
24. A managed Mac shows 'Supervised' status. What additional capability does supervision enable compared to an unsupervised Mac? → Stricter MDM restrictions such as disabling AirDrop and restricting iCloud features
25. Which macOS command displays the current MDM enrollment status and server URL from the command line? → profiles status -type enrollment
26. What Bluetooth version do iPhone 15 models support, and what improvement does it offer over previous versions? → Bluetooth 5.3 with improved coexistence and lower power
27. During a Genius Bar appointment, a customer becomes verbally aggressive. What is the recommended response? → Remain calm, use a low tone, and involve a manager if the behavior continues
28. What Apple technology enables AirDrop to work for peer-to-peer file sharing between Apple devices? → Bluetooth for discovery and Wi-Fi for transfer
29. What is the primary purpose of Apple Diagnostics on Mac computers? → Test hardware components such as RAM and storage for failures
30. On macOS, which directory stores configuration profiles that apply system-wide to all users? → /private/var/db/ConfigurationProfiles/