Pix is appearing in searches again as back-to-school assessments approach, and the question many students and parents are asking is simple: what is the actual pass rate for the certification? On September 16, 2026, the term “pix” passed the threshold of 1,000 searches in Google Trends France. Behind this renewed interest is above all a very practical need: knowing what to expect and how to revise effectively.

The problem is that the official figures on Pix do not make this as easy to answer as one might think. We know the test format, the minimum certification threshold and the overall volume of certifications, but there is no directly published pass rate for ninth-grade students, final-year high-school students or each region. It is important to say this clearly, because creating a percentage from incomplete data would give a false impression of precision.

Pix pass rates by level and region: what we actually know

Pix applies in particular to ninth-grade and final-year high-school students, as well as university students and people in continuing education. The platform assesses 16 digital skills across 5 areas: information and data, communication and collaboration, content creation, protection and security, and the digital environment.

To be certified, a candidate must have reached at least level 1 in 5 skills. On the day of the test, they answer 32 questions in 1 hour 45 minutes. The certification is organized at the school or in an approved center. Pix also reports around 7 million users per year, more than 700 certification centers and 7.8 million certifications taken since 2017.

These volumes show the scale of the system, but they do not answer the pass-rate question. The official dataset published on data.gouv.fr records the number of sessions and certifications by institution for public and state-contracted private middle and high schools. However, the available information does not directly provide an aggregated pass percentage by school level, education authority or region.

Another important limitation must also be taken into account: when an institution has fewer than five certifications, the corresponding results are not disclosed for data-protection reasons. This makes any attempt at detailed local comparison even more difficult.

In short: the official figures presented here do not contain a verified rate allowing us to write “X% of ninth-grade students pass Pix” or “this region performs better than that one.” Any ranking of that kind would require additional statistical processing and sufficiently complete data.

It is also important to avoid a common confusion with DEPP indicators. IVAC and IVAL provide information on the results of French middle and high schools, but they concern the brevet and baccalauréat examinations. They are therefore not Pix pass-rate statistics.

Which skills cause students the most difficulty?

Here again, the available official data do not allow a reliable ranking to be drawn up. Pix does operate a Digital Skills Observatory and has notably worked on ninth-grade and final-year high-school students, but none of the figures presented here makes it possible to state that one specific area causes more failures than another.

It would therefore be misleading, for example, to describe security or content creation as “students’ weak point” without statistics to support that claim. What can be taken from the certification format is different: the 32 questions cover all the skills in the framework. Focusing all preparation on a single area is therefore not a good strategy.

The right question to ask before the test is not “which skill makes other students fail?”, but rather “which skills make me lose time or put me in difficulty?”. This personal diagnosis is far more useful for organizing a short preparation period.

A practical method for preparing for Pix without revising at random

Pix recommends practicing before certification to become familiar with the platform. Starting from the official test format, it is possible to go further and organize a simple preparation plan. This plan is not an official Pix method: it is a practical way to structure revision without spreading yourself too thin.

1. Secure the minimum requirement first

Start by checking that you reach at least level 1 in five skills. This is the minimum threshold indicated for access to certification. If that foundation is not yet secure, there is no point trying immediately to improve everywhere at once: the priority is first to consolidate several basic skills.

2. Go through all five areas

Then spread your training across the five Pix areas. The goal is not to memorize answers, but to identify situations where you hesitate, take too long or do not know what to do. After each session, simply note the skills that caused you problems.

  • Information and data: devote a specific session to this area.
  • Communication and collaboration: identify the questions that slow you down.
  • Content creation: note the exercises where you get stuck.
  • Protection and security: check whether you answer confidently or by guessing.
  • Digital environment: identify tasks that still require several attempts.

This list does not claim to say which skills are the most difficult nationally. It is only intended to help you build your own ranking of priorities.

3. Work first on repeated areas of hesitation

When the same skill appears several times in your mistakes or moments of hesitation, put it at the top of your next session. The idea is to turn general preparation into targeted work. Conversely, a skill you already feel comfortable with can simply be maintained without taking up most of your time.

4. Do at least one full practice session at exam pace

The certification requires 32 questions in 1 hour 45 minutes. It is therefore useful to do one long, uninterrupted practice session to get closer to that pace. The aim is not to reproduce the exact exam content, but to see whether you can maintain concentration and whether certain questions make you lose too much time.

5. Stop looking for a “magic pass rate” and focus on your own profile

Regional statistics would be interesting for comparing areas, but they will not earn you points on test day. A few days before certification, your time is better spent identifying your own weaknesses, securing at least five skills at the required level and reviewing all five areas.

What to remember before certification

Pix is a large-scale system, with millions of users and certifications, but the public figures presented do not currently provide a directly usable pass rate by school level or region. The same caution applies to the skills that supposedly cause the most failures: no reliable numerical ranking is provided here.

However, the test format already provides a very concrete framework for preparation: 16 skills, 5 areas, 32 questions, 1 hour 45 minutes and a minimum of level 1 in 5 skills. For a student who wants to improve quickly, the best use of time is therefore to practice, identify points of hesitation, strengthen the weakest skills in their own profile and then complete one final full review before test day.