No matter how you prep for the ACT—whether you have a tutor, take a class, or study by yourself—you must get access to official ACT tests. These tests are released by ACT, Inc. and contain real questions given to actual students on previous test dates. These questions have been removed from circulation (so you won't ever see them on a real test), but their quality is second to none when it comes to ACT realism.
In this post, I'll tell you how to find all currently available official ACT practice tests. We'll also discuss how to use these tests to improve your ACT score.
Where Can You Find Official ACT Practice Tests?
If you want the most accurate ACT practice materials, use official ACT practice tests released by the ACT itself. Official tests use real retired ACT questions, making them much more representative than unofficial practice tests written by third-party companies. This guide includes every publicly available official ACT practice test, downloadable PDFs, online practice tests, answer keys, scoring guides, and information about which tests match the current Enhanced ACT format.
The best way to predict your ACT score is to take a full-length official practice test under realistic timed conditions and carefully review every mistake afterward. The ACT currently provides free official digital and PDF practice tests, while additional retired exams are available through past official prep books.
In this guide you'll find:
- Every free official ACT practice test currently available
- PDF and online practice test links
- Answer keys and scoring information
- Which tests use the newest ACT format
- How many official ACT practice tests you should take
- The best order to use them during your ACT study plan
A Quick Intro to ACT Practice Tests
Be aware that practice tests are not a cure-all for all ACT problems. Definitely learn what practice tests do and don't do and understand the dangers of abusing practice tests. In addition, make sure you take them at the optimal frequency and aren't taking full practice tests too close to your test date.
All Free, Full-Length ACT Practice Tests
There are currently two full-length official Enhanced ACTs available for free online, as printable practice tests.
If you'll be taking the actual ACT on paper, we recommend these practice exams to to simulate a realistic testing experience with the timing and conditions you'll experience on test day.
The same two practice tests are also available digital practice exam on myACT. If you'll be taking the digital ACT, we recommend taking these as complete timed practice exams.
ACT, Inc. also publishes official practice quizzes (separate from the official practice tests) on its website. These questions are great for working on strategy and content prep.
- ACT English questions
- ACT Math questions
- ACT Reading questions
- ACT Science questions
- ACT Writing prompt
Official ACT Practice Test Resources You Can Buy
What about paid practice tests? For even more high-quality practice, consider buying the following official ACT practice tests.
The Official ACT Prep Guide, 2026-2027 Edition
Price: About $32 for book plus digital access
This official prep book is definitely the best resource for realistic ACT practice questions. Don't bother using unofficial practice tests, as their quality is far inferior to the tests created by the ACT.
The 2026-2027 edition includes four full-length ACT practice tests with essay prompts. All of these tests are also available online.
How to Use Official ACT Tests: 4 Tips
Because each ACT practice test takes several hours to complete, it's important for you to get the most out of every one you take. Below, we go over some important tips to keep in mind when taking these official ACT practice tests.
But before we get to our tips, it's worth reiterating that practice tests can't be used to address all possible ACT problems. If you're struggling to understand certain concepts, for example, you'll need to make sure you're brushing up on your content review and learning difficult topics from scratch. So while ACT practice tests are an excellent way to track your progress, they certainly aren't the only resources out there!
Now, we'll show you how you can use ACT practice tests to your advantage.
#1: Take Each Test in One Sitting
The ACT is a marathon that forces you to sit and concentrate for several hours on an early Saturday morning. You need to build up your test-taking stamina so that you don't make careless mistakes at the end of the exam.
By taking each ACT practice test in one sitting, you'll increase your endurance for the real test. If you don't have time in your schedule for a four-hour session, splitting it up over multiple days is OK—as long as you heed our next tip.
#2: Use Official Time Limits
It is critical that you recreate the time limits on the ACT as you take practice tests. Each section requires you to answer one or more questions in about a minute, which causes most students to end up with less time than they need, especially on the Math section.
But don't be tempted to give yourself even two extra minutes, as this could unfairly let you finish more questions, thereby improving your score substantially. Remember that ACT practice tests should be reliable indicators of your real ACT score. If you give yourself more time than what's allowed on the test, you won't be able to see where you're actually scoring.
#3: Review Your Answers
At the end of every test, be sure to review every mistake you made as well as every question you got correct. If you bypass this step, you're not going to learn from your mistakes, and you'll continue making the same ones over and over again.
A rule of thumb is to spend at least two hours reviewing every full ACT practice test you take. Though this is time consuming, it's important that you emphasize quality of learning over quantity of learning. In the end, it's better to take three tests with detailed review than it is to take six tests with no review.
#4: No Improvement? Supplement Your Practice Tests
While some students can learn from their mistakes, others need guidance to point out where their weaknesses are and assignments to help them directly improve upon their weak points.
A good prep program can supercharge your ACT prep so that you're always focusing on the best material. Check out our industry-leading online ACT prep program. We've designed it to cover all the advantages of ACT books and tutors—and more—at an affordable price. Featuring in-depth strategy lessons and thousands of practice questions, our program uses the best content from the leading prep books.
It also guides you step by step through what you should be working on at every moment to best improve your ACT score. This works by customizing to your strengths and weaknesses, and then giving you focused practice to help you learn the patterns on the test. Finally, it motivates you to study so that you put in enough time.
There's a 4-point guarantee, too—meaning that if you don't improve your score by 4 points or more, you'll get all of your money back!
For other ACT prep resources, take a look at our guides to the best ACT prep books, the best ACT websites, and how to find an ACT tutor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are official ACT practice tests the best way to prepare?
Yes. Official ACT practice tests are generally considered the gold standard because they contain real questions written by the ACT. They most closely match the wording, difficulty, pacing, and question types you'll see on test day. Most ACT experts recommend building your study plan around official tests before using third-party materials.
How many official ACT practice tests are available?
The exact number depends on whether you include tests from older official prep books, released retired exams, and the newest Enhanced ACT materials. The ACT currently offers multiple free official practice tests online and as PDFs, while official ACT Prep Guides contain additional retired exams. This article collects all of them in one place.
Are older ACT practice tests still useful?
Yes. Older official ACT practice tests remain excellent practice because the ACT's writing style and core skills have stayed remarkably consistent over time. However, if you're taking the newest version of the ACT, prioritize the most recent official tests first so you become familiar with the updated format before working through older exams.
Should I use online or PDF ACT practice tests?
Both are valuable.
- Choose online official practice tests if you'll take the digital ACT and want the closest testing experience.
- Choose PDF practice tests if you prefer printing exams, annotating passages, or simulating a paper test.
Many students benefit from using both during their preparation.
How often should I take a full-length ACT practice test?
Most students improve the most by taking one full-length official ACT practice test every one to two weeks. Between tests, spend significantly more time reviewing mistakes than taking new exams. Understanding why you missed questions is usually what leads to score increases.
What's a good ACT practice test score?
As a general rule, your scores on official timed practice tests should be within about 1–2 composite points of your eventual ACT score if you take them under realistic testing conditions. If your practice scores fluctuate significantly, focus on consistency before worrying about reaching your target score.
Can I reuse an ACT practice test?
Yes, but only after enough time has passed that you no longer remember the questions. Repeating a practice test can help measure improvement and reinforce concepts, but it won't be as accurate for predicting your score as taking a new official exam.
Are unofficial ACT practice tests worth using?
They can be helpful once you've completed the official ACT practice tests, especially for extra math, English, or science practice. However, unofficial tests often differ from the ACT's writing style and difficulty level, so they shouldn't replace official exams for measuring your readiness.
Which official ACT practice test should I take first?
If you're preparing for the current ACT, start with one of the newest official practice tests that matches the version of the exam you'll take. Save your remaining official tests for checkpoints throughout your study plan so you can accurately measure your progress.
What's Next?
Want more ACT practice? Check out our massive collection of official and unofficial ACT practice tests. And if you're hoping to hone your math skills specifically, we've compiled the best ACT Math practice tests in a separate guide.
Taken the ACT already but unhappy with your score? Use our guide to decide whether you should retake the ACT.
Not sure when to take the ACT? Get a complete study plan for the ACT to figure out the best date for you.
Did you know that the ACT might be going digital? Here's what you need to know about the upcoming digital ACT test.
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