The uncoating process of HIV-1 is a poorly understood process, so the development of a reliable assay to study uncoating is critical for moving the field forward. Here we describe an uncoating assay that currently represents the state-of-the-art biochemical procedure for monitoring uncoating and core stability during infection. This assay is based on the biochemical separation of soluble capsid protein from particulate capsid cores and provides information about the fate of the capsid during infection.