How to Edit the Windows Registry

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

The Windows Registry is a database of settings for every Windows preference, application, user, and all attached devices for your computer. You can use the built-in Windows Registry Editor to change those settings, thereby improving performance and making Windows work the way you want. You can also seriously mess things up. This guide tells you how to make a backup, edit the Windows Registry, and restore the backup if something goes wrong.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making a Registry Backup

1
Make a backup of the Windows Registry. Do this before you edit it so you can revert to the pre-edited version if necessary.
2
Press ⊞ Win+r. The Run window opens.

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3
Type "regedit" without the quotes and press ↵ Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to open the Registry Editor.
4
Right-click the Computer icon in the left pane.
5
Click Export.
6
Choose a location and type a name for the backup.
7
Click Save.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Editing the Registry

1
Edit the Registry. The Registry contains two basic elements: keys and values. If you know the key you want to edit, press Control+f to open the Find dialog box. ^{[1]
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2
Type the key name and click Find Next.
3
Edit the key's value data. When you find the key, double-click it to edit the value data.
4
Click OK to save your edits. Some edits may require a Windows restart to take effect.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Restoring a Registry Backup

1
If necessary, you can restore your Registry backup. Keep track of your edits so you can return them to their original value if desired. If you make multiple unsatisfactory edits, you may want to restore your entire Registry backup rather than correct each edit.
2
Open the Registry Editor.
3
In the File menu click Import.
4
Locate the backup file you saved and click Open.

Community Q&A

Question

Registry entries required for network connectivity are missing. What do I do?

Community Answer

Adding registry entries is much harder than removing them. You should probably reinstall your network driver.
Question

What are Registry files called?

Community Answer

They're called "reg entries." Some files may take the extension "reg," and when you open them, they automatically add or edit reg entries.
Question

Can I change my registry keys after I've been hacked?

Community Answer

No, you have to use system restore to go back to an earlier date before you can change the registry keys.