How to use the Windows Registry Editor

The Registry Editor is a powerful application that allows you to access and edit the configuration settings of the Windows operating system.

The Windows Registry is a database that contains various settings used by the operating system and installed software applications.

However, it is important to be careful when using the Registry Editor, as making incorrect changes to the registry can cause serious problems with your system, including preventing it from loading properly.

Therefore, before using this guide to modify the Windows registry, first back up your registry.

What is the Windows Registry

The Windows registry database stores configuration settings and settings for the Windows operating system and software installed on your computer.

The registry is organized as a hierarchical structure containing keys and values, with five different “root” keys at the top, as shown below, that serve a specific purpose.

Five different root keys in the Windows registry and their purpose:

1. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR): This key stores information about file associations and OLE object classes.

2. HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU): This key stores information about the current user’s settings and user-specific preferences for various applications.

3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM): This key stores information that affects the entire computer, regardless of the logged in user. These settings are for computer hardware, operating system configuration, and software settings that affect all users.

4. HKEY_USERS (HKU): This key stores information about all users logged on to the computer.

5. HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC): This key stores information about the current hardware configuration of the computer.

For the most part, you will be modifying the keys and values ​​of the HKCU and HKLM root keys.

Registry keys are like folders containing other keys and values ​​used to organize and group related settings.

For example, the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key contains settings for the current user account, such as the user’s desktop wallpaper, installed application settings, and personal settings.

While keys are like folders, registry values ​​are the files they store that contain specific settings for a particular key. They can have different data types, including text, numbers, and binary data.

There are several different types of registry values:

• REG_SZ – A string value containing text data such as a username or folder path.
• REG_DWORD – Numeric value containing a 32-bit integer.
• REG_QWORD – a numeric value containing a 64-bit integer.
• REG_BINARY – A value containing binary data, such as an image or sound file.
• REG_MULTI_SZ – A string value containing multiple null-separated strings. This is often used for lists or arrays of values.

Each type of registry value is used for a specific purpose, and understanding them can help you better manage and customize the Windows operating system.

However, for the most part, when editing the registry, you will be modifying REG_SZ values ​​for text data and REG_DWORD values ​​for numeric data, as they are the most common data types used to store user-editable data.

Using the Windows Registry Editor

The Windows Registry Editor is a software application created by Microsoft and built into all versions of Windows that allows you to edit data in the registry.

The Registry Editor application is located at C:\Windows\regedit.exe, and for the most part requires administrator rights to use it properly.

To open the Registry Editor, click the button Window key + R to open the Run dialog box. Next enter “regedit” in the search box and click Enter. If you are shown a prompt asking if you want to allow the program to make changes, select ‘Yes‘ continue.

When the Registry Editor opens, you will see that the window is divided into two areas. The left pane displays a hierarchical tree structure of the various registry keys (folders) and subfolders (subfolders).

The right panel displays the values ​​and data associated with the selected key in the left panel.‹

To open a specific registry key, use the left pane to navigate to the key you want to edit. Then expand the key and click the plus sign (+) next to it.

To collapse a key, click the minus sign (-) next to it.

When you press a key in the left pane, the values ​​stored in it will be displayed in the right pane.

Now that we know how to navigate the Windows Registry, let’s learn how to change the data stored in it.

Create a new registry key

When configuring new settings in the Windows registry, at some point you may need to create a key.

Use these steps to create a new registry key:

1. Right-click on the key you want to create a new subkey for in the left pane.
2. Choose New -> Key.
3. Enter a name for the new key and press Enter.

Create a registry value

Because registry values ​​contain data that customizes how an application or Windows works, you usually need to create registry values.

Use these steps to create a registry value:

1. Navigate to the key where you want to create the value.

2. Right click on the key and select “New“, and then select the type of value you want to create. The types of values ​​you can create are described in the previous section.

3. Give the new value a name by entering it in the field that appears.

4. Double-click the new value to edit its details.

5. Enter the desired value data and click FINE.

Renaming a registry key

Sometimes you may need to rename a registry value, such as when you enter a typo.

To rename a registry key, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the key you wish to rename.
2. Right click the key and select Rename.
3. Enter a new key name in the edit field.
4. Click anywhere to save your changes.

Renaming a registry value

Sometimes you may need to rename a registry value, such as when you enter a typo.

To rename a registry value, follow these steps:

1. Right click on the value you want to rename in the right pane and select Rename.
2. Enter a new key name in the edit field.
3. Click anywhere to save your changes.

Editing Registry Value Data

To make changes to a registry value, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the value you want to change in the right pane.
2. The Edit dialog box will appear.
3. Enter a new key value in the Data Value field.
4. Click OK to save your changes.

Exporting a Registry Key

You can export registry keys and all of their subkeys and values ​​to a registry file.

The registry file ends in .reg and when you double click it in Windows it imports the data back into the registry. Exporting a registry key helps you create a backup before making changes to the registry.

1. Right click on the key you want to export in the left pane.
2. Choose Export.
3. Choose a location to save the exported key and give it a name.
4. Click Keep.

Importing a registry key

If you have previously exported the key, you can import its data into the registry by importing the file by doing the following:

1. Press File -> Import.
2. Navigate to the location where you saved the exported key.
3. Select a key file and click Open.

Delete registry key

If you need to delete a registry key, follow these steps.

1. Right click on the key you want to delete in the left pane.
2. Choose ‘Delete‘ from the context menu.
3. Confirm that you want to delete the key by clicking Yes.

Note. If you delete a key, all its subkeys and values ​​will also be deleted!

Note 2: You should only delete a registry key if you know it won’t cause problems for your computer!

Delete registry value

If you need to delete a registry value, follow these steps.

1. Right click on the value you want to delete in the right pane.
2. Choose ‘Delete‘ from the context menu.
3. Confirm that you want to delete the value by clicking Yes.

Note. You should only delete a registry value if you know it won’t cause problems for your computer.

When you’re done with the Registry Editor, you can close it by clicking the X in the window, or by clicking File > Exit.

With these steps, you will now be able to use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate and edit the registry.

However, it is very important to be careful when making changes to the registry, as incorrect changes can cause serious problems with your system.

It is always recommended to back up the registry before making any changes.