Windows and many third-party applications store their settings in the registry. There are many options (especially those in Windows itself) that you can only change in the registry. Let’s open the registry editor to be able to edit them!
What is the Registry Editor?
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that contains all the configurations and settings used by Windows. Registry Editor is the application you use to view, modify, or even create different values in the database. For example, if you want to turn off the lock screen on Windows 10 Home, you need to open the registry editor to do so.
You should not use Registry Editor unless you know what you are doing as you could corrupt your Windows operating system. However, if you find a registry hack on a trusted website, you will need to open the registry editor to make the change.
Warning: Registry Editor is a powerful tool and improper use could make your system unstable or even inoperable. If you’ve never worked with Registry Editor before, read it before you start. And definitely back up the registry and your computer before making any changes.
Soon: How to back up and restore the Windows registry
We also recommend that you create a system restore point before making any changes. Then if something goes wrong, you can always restore your system.
Open the registry editor from the run area
Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box, type “regedit” in the text field, and then press Enter.
A User Account Control (UAC) dialog box appears asking if you want Registry Editor administrator privileges; Click “Yes” and Registry Editor opens.
Open Registry Editor via Command Prompt or PowerShell
You can also open Registry Editor from the command prompt or from PowerShell. The command is the same for both apps, but we’re using PowerShell.
Open PowerShell, type “regedit”, then press Enter.
Click “Yes” when the UAC dialog box appears and the Registry Editor opens.
Open Registry Editor from File Explorer
If you prefer, you can also open Registry Editor from the File Explorer address bar. To do this, just open “File Explorer”, type “regedit” in the address bar, and then press Enter.
Click “Yes” on the UAC prompt, and the editor will open.
Open Registry Editor from Start menu search
If you want to open Registry Editor from the Start menu, click the Start menu or the Search icon, and then type “Registry Editor” in the text field.
In the search results that appear, click “Registry Editor” to trigger the UAC prompt and open the editor.
Click “Yes” when the prompt appears, and Registry Editor will open.
Open Registry Editor from a shortcut
If you prefer to open Registry Editor from a shortcut, it’s easy to create one for your desktop.
To do this, right-click an empty location on the desktop. From the context menu, click New> Shortcut.
In the window that appears, type “regedit” in the text box, then click “Next”.
Name the shortcut, then click “Finish” to create it.
Your new shortcut for Registry Editor will appear on the desktop. Double click the icon and allow app administrator privileges from UAC prompt to open it.
If you want, you can completely bypass the UAC prompt when you open Registry Editor or any program that requires elevated privileges.
Soon: Create admin mode shortcuts without UAC prompts in Windows 10
Now that you know how to open the Registry Editor, try some of our favorite registry hacks!
