How to enter the windows 10 system registry. How to launch the registry editor in additional ways

10.05.2019 Security

Registry is a database that stores Windows settings. Physically, the registry files are located in the Windows\System32\config directory. It is not possible to open them directly from the config folder. To do this, there is a built-in utility called the registry editor.

Editing the registry solves a lot of PC problems. In the material, we will learn how to enter the Windows 10 registry, how to enable it and solve startup problems.

How to open the registry editor in basic ways

The registry editor is started via executable file regedit.exe located in system partition in Windows\System32. It can be called from this place, but this procedure debt compared to the methods below.

Note: When invoking regedit, when the User Account Control window appears, click Yes.

one. . Enter the regedit command by clicking Enter (OK).

2. Press + S to open search. Type regedit into the input line. To open the registry in Windows 10 when it appears, press Enter or LMB on it.

3. Use a combination Win keys+ E to go to explorer. Type regedit into the address bar of File Explorer by pressing Enter.

How to start the registry editor in additional ways

The process of calling by additional methods is less convenient than by the main ones. Do the following steps.

one. . Enter the regedit command and hit enter.

2. In Windows search 10 type PowerShell and open the element Windows PowerShell. Type the now familiar regedit command and hit Enter.

3. Hot Ctrl keys+ Shift + Esc to get into the task manager. IN top menu select "File", click on "Run new task". In the input field, put regedit, mark the opening in admin mode, if necessary (it will not get out Windows UAC 10). Click OK.

4. If you often make changes to the registry, then create a shortcut and leave it, for example, on the desktop. Right click on an empty area of the workspace. IN context menu move the cursor to "Create", then click on "Shortcut". Place the following structure in the location:

%windir%\regedit.exe

Click Next. Type "Registry Editor" and then click "Finish".

The shortcut doesn't even need to change the icon, since by default the shortcut already has a registry icon. To launch the Windows 10 Registry Editor even faster, right-click on the shortcut and select "Properties" from the menu. Place the cursor on the line shortcut. Enter any letter, for example, R. Click OK.

Using one of the methods above, you will enter the editor window. It is a window divided into 2 parts. On the right is navigation through the sections that need to be expanded. On the left is a list of the parameters of these sections that are being edited.

How to enable registry editor

There are times when it is not possible to enter the Windows 10 registry. To resolve this kind of problem, try the following steps.

1. The solution is to run an SFC scan. Run cmd as admin. Enter sfc command/scannow by clicking Enter. Wait until the PC is scanned, then restart it.

2. Solution - enabling the registry editor through inf file. In such a situation, after starting the editor, a notification "" pops up. Download the inf file from here by extracting it. Click on Vkl_regedit.inf RMB, click "Install".

3. Solution - reset to factory settings. Press Win + I, and go to the Update and Security section. Next, select the "Recovery" subsection. In the field of returning a computer to the initial state, click "Start" and select "Keep my files". Upon completion of the procedure, the registry should work as before.

Important! Use method 3 as a last resort!

Now you know how to enter the Windows 10 registry editor with everyone available methods. In case of problems in the operation of the utility, you can easily restore the functionality using our instructions.

Often the tips on our site are related to the Windows 10 registry and the registry editor. What exactly is the Registry and what is RegEdit? Those who are familiar with Windows need no explanation for many years, but most new Windows users 10 will find this post helpful.

Today I will try to explain the basics of the registry editor. This includes command line arguments, basic methods of working with this program, and more. Read below if you're interested.

What is Registry Editor

The Registry Editor appeared as a tool for users who wish to make changes to windows settings, which are not displayed in user interface. The main purpose of this tool is to change settings in the system registry - a set special files that contain information about Windows configuration, and almost all installed programs. Windows and many programs (with the exception of " portable ") have their own own settings in the register.

How to open the Registry Editor app in Windows 10.

No matter what Windows versions 10 you have installed, these methods will work:

Press keyboard shortcut Win+R on the keyboard, a dialog box will open. "Run". In the line enter " regedit» without quotes and press the key Enter. Confirm the action in the User Account Control window.

Open Windows Explorer 10, in address bar Dial the conductor regedit and press Enter.

Go to menu "Start" → "Administrative Tool..." → "Registry Editor"

The main registry editor executable is located in the directory So you can navigate to this folder and run the file regedit.exe manually.

You can also create a shortcut for the program Regedit.exe and pin it to the menu "Start" on the " Home screen" or " Taskbars» Windows 10. This will allow you to access the registry editor in one click.

The registry editor looks like this:

As you can see in the picture above, the editor consists of two panels - the left panel shows " Sections» system registry in the form of a tree, and in right panel displayed " Parameters".

Keys are a virtual representation of data from several files that form the registry database. You can see which files represent your registry database if you open next section:

Here you can see the list of options where the registry files are stored on the hard drive. The data inside them, as mentioned above, has hierarchical structure.

Please note that some parts of the Registry database are never shown in the Registry Editor. For example, you will never see SAM (Security Accounts Manager) inside Regedit.

To create new section registry, you must click right click click on the parent section in the left pane and select the command from the context menu "Create" → "Section".

You must give the newly created partition a custom name as required software The for which you are creating it. You can export (save) the key to *.reg file from the context menu. When exporting to a file, you can later simply double-click the .reg file to import (revert) its contents back into the Windows 10 registry.

To create new parameter, you need to right-click

on the section in the left pane
on an empty area in the right pane.

Select suitable type for the new parameter and enter its name. Double-click the setting you created to set your details if necessary.

How to Backup and Restore Registry Settings in Windows 10

Whenever you make changes to the Windows Registry, it's a good idea to make a backup first. You can back up the entire registry easily enough, and then restore it if something goes wrong. If you are only editing one or two registry settings and plan to make other changes to the registry later, one backup will not be enough. You can make new backups each time, you can make as many copies as you need. It's much easier to back up individual partitions, especially if you frequently edit the registry. You can backup and restore registry settings from a backup. Here's how.

Open the Windows Registry and navigate to desired section which you want to backup. right-click and select from the context menu "Export". Save the registry key in a location where you cannot accidentally delete it. If the section has subsections, they will also be saved.

There are two ways to restore a registry key. The first is from the Windows Registry Editor itself. Go to "File" → "Import" and select a copy of the registry key you want to restore.

The second way, go to the folder where you saved the backup copy of the registry key. Right click on the file and select option "Confluence". You will see a warning on the screen warning you about the dangers of editing the registry. Accept this and the section will be added. You don't need to open Registry Editor or anything. The partition will be restored and you will receive a notification on the screen that everything is ready.

Changes that a section or setting may have may appear immediately or require a system restart. It depends on the setting, what it's for, and what changes it makes, so we can't say for sure if you'll need a reboot or not.

Note: You need administrator rights to import a registry key.

It should be noted that if you plan to back up a large number registry keys, it's always a good idea to keep them organized. You can always open a .REG file in Notepad and view its contents to see what changes it will make, or you can store them in folders that tell you what it's for.

Switching between HKCU and HKLM in Registry Editor in Windows 10

In the Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft has added the ability fast transition between similar registry keys of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER branches.

For example, the Software subsection exists in the following branches:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM

To switch between them, follow these steps.
1. Open the registry editor.
2. Go to the right key registry, for example, to the subsection: SYSTEM
3. Assuming you are done with an open partition in HKCU and want to continue with his colleague in the partition HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, right-click on the SYSTEM subkey and select the command from the context menu Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE:

And vice versa, from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ you can switch to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SYSTEM instantly.

Remember that this trick only works with keys that have similar root partition paths HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Registry Editor Command Line Arguments

And finally, I would like to show you the most common command line arguments that can be used with the Registry Editor. They can be used in your own scripts and batch files.

regedit.exe -m

Opens another instance of the Registry Editor, even if one is already open. This is very handy if you want to compare two registry keys. Will it work on Windows XP or more later versions.

regedit.exe path_to_file.reg

Merging the registry file with your current registry. This is the default action that is performed when you double click on a *.reg file in File Explorer.

regedit.exe /s path_to_file.reg

Same as above, but the file will be merged silently without a confirmation dialog. Useful for scripts.

regedit.exe /e path_to_file.reg

Export all registry data to one file.

The registry is a large repository of information related to the smooth operation of the Windows operating system. It is necessary to organize the settings of all system files, drivers, etc. Usually, all entries are created and changed by applications, both third-party and built-in to the operating system. But the user can also work in it. This is what the Windows 10 Registry Editor is for.

How to enter the Windows 10 registry

There are several possibilities. But first we want to warn you - careless actions can lead to a failure of the computer hardware or a failure in the operating system. It is necessary to make only those settings that you understand and are sure of their appropriateness.

To enter the Windows 10 registry, the easiest thing you can do is type the call command. Press WIN+R and type regedit.

To open the Windows 10 Registry Editor, this method is usually used.

To launch the Windows 10 Registry Editor, you can open the file directly. To do this, you need to know where the editor is located. windows registry 10.

Open File Explorer (shortcut "This PC" on the desktop).

Then open the disk with the installed operating Windows system. Most often it is S.

Navigate to the Windows folder.

Start typing the file name regedit on your keyboard. Check the layout. Explorer is designed in such a way that it catches characters from the keyboard and translates to the desired element automatically. Just do it without pauses.

Double-click on the file with the left mouse button and the utility will open.

If you are used to working on the command line, or there is nothing else besides it (a failure in the operating system and you called command line during boot), you can go to and from the Windows 10 Registry Editor.

If you are in the OS, then open the line through the search.

Type cd c:\windows to change to the operating system folder.

Type the regedit command.

After that, you can get into the desired utility.

It is possible to find the editor through the search only by the file name.

Click on the name above to call it up.

We have listed all the ways to enable the editor. We hope this will help you in any situation.

How system information is stored

Since the repository is a database of all system settings and drivers, it has its own structure. For its service are special programs. But sometimes users can manually make some corrections. To do this, you need to imagine what these or those records mean.

The system database has a hierarchical structure and consists of several sections, which are called branches:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. This contains information about all file extensions that operating system. If you're trying to open a file of an unfamiliar type, you have to specify which program will use it. New information is written to this section.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER. This branch contains information about all settings for the current user.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. The section is responsible for information about the PC hardware, drivers, operating modes and boot information.
HKEY_USERS(HKU). It contains information about all users of the computer, that is, about their accounts.
KEY_CURRENT_CONFIG. Required information about the computer hardware required to boot when it is turned on.

The settings files themselves are scattered throughout file system PC. No user knows this complex structure to the end. Therefore, all actions are performed through the editor. Once again, we want to remind you that incorrect actions to delete or change records can lead to sad consequences.

Opening the Registry Editor

Method 1 - run through the window

This is probably one of the simplest universal ways open registry editor (works in Windows XP/7/8/10). I will write down all the actions in steps:

Method 2 - via command line

Method 3 - through the system folder

Depending on your version of Windows and its settings, .reg file edit can be in different folders:

C:\Windows\SysWOW64 (the most common default on Windows 10)
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows

Method 4 - Through Windows Search

In Windows 10, you can click on the magnifying glass icon next to the start menu and type in search string regedit- among the found results you will see a shortcut to launch the editor (see the example below).

In addition, you can open Explorer, then open the system drive with Windows (usually C: \) and also enter in the search bar regedit- after a while you will see a link to launch the registry editor (example below).

Method 5 - using special. utilities

Utilities for working with the registry - hundreds! In this article, I bring to your attention one of the best (in my humble opinion).

Reg Organizer

Very handy utility to restore order in the system registry. Allows you to remove junk and erroneous data from it, defragment and compress, take snapshots (to compare changes in the registry BEFORE and AFTER installing any program), etc.

Also allows you to edit the registry without opening the built-in Windows editor. The utility is fully translated into Russian, supports Windows 7/8/10 (32/64 bits).

After installing and running Reg Organizer, open the "Tools" menu and click on the "Registry Editor" link (see screenshot below).

Tools - registry editor // Reg Organizer

Actually, then you can work with registry settings as in the classic editor. Also add here what Reg Organizer has additional tools: more convenient search, the ability to take pictures, there are favorites, etc.

Registry Editor in Reg Organizer

What to do if the registry is blocked and does not open

First, do not panic ☻.

Second, try opening the registry via Reg utility Organizer (which I advised in method 5, a couple of lines above).

Third, download antivirus utility AVZ to your computer (it will help restore the system to normal working order).

If it fails to open, enter the menu "File" and click on the link "System Restore" (see screenshot below).

Next, you need to tick off all those parameters that you want to restore. (among them there is also the one we need, namely "Unlock Reactor Registry", see the screenshot below - marked in yellow) .

By the way, AVZ helps out in many cases, so I recommend that you go beyond just one point...

Actually, after the recovery procedure and restarting the computer, I recommend that you check it for viruses all in the same AVZ utility(And, even despite the presence of an antivirus in your system).

For antivirus check in AVZ, you must specify the disks, specify the methods for treating the viruses found, and click the START button. An example is shown in the screenshot below.

Actually, after a similar recovery procedure, the registry editor starts to open in normal mode.

PS: also, as an option, you can try and open the editor from under it.

That's all. Additions are welcome...

Launching the OS registry window in Windows 10 is different from previous versions not too drastic. Remember - you should use the functionality of this database carefully, only knowing exactly what you want to do. Going through and changing the settings at random, you can come to the need to reinstall the system.

How to enter the Windows 10 registry?

So, as we already know, looking for the registry editor in the Start menu is useless. It is intentionally hidden from the eyes of novice users, as it contains key parameters that determine correct work OS. There are several ways to launch the desired window:

Press the "Windows" button on the keyboard, calling "Start". Here, in the search bar, we type the command “regedit”. Select it with the arrows or the mouse cursor, press “Enter”. We allow the utility to make changes to the computer settings by clicking on the “Yes” button. The window “ Registry Editor” that we were looking for.
An alternative option involves using hotkeys to call the registry editor. To do this, simultaneously press Win + R. The “Run” window will appear, in the command line of which we write “regedit” and click “Ok”. After confirming with the “Yes” button, the editor window will open.
Another way, similar to the previous ones: press the win button to pop up the Start menu, write cmd in the search bar. We launch the command line by clicking on “Enter’y”, we also write regedit in it and send it for execution.
An extraordinary, but still working method (may come in handy if the system is partially frozen, but searching for system drive executes): find a file called regedit in C:\Windows\ by running it manually. From there, it's also easy to create a shortcut for the program by right-clicking on the source, and then dragging the duplicate to the desktop.

If you are not sure what changes you need to make in the registry, you can pre-configure it backup. In the event of a breakdown, the correct copy will be easily restored.