How to Use the Windows 10 Registry

Do you want to make some adjustments to your windows 10 home using the registry and you don’t know how the registry is used? 

Then this article is just the right one for you as I would be teaching you how to use the registry. As we all know, the Windows registry is not a place you could mess with as a little mistake done there can go a long way.

The windows registry is a centralized hierarchical database containing all the configurations and settings used by the Windows operating system and applications that opt to use the registry such as the kernel, device drivers, security account manager, user interface, and the rest. The windows registry has a maximum size of 2GB.

When new programs are installed, a new set of files and instructions are added to the registry at a specific location for the program to interact with others and it is used to locate files .some window applications store their configurations in other file types instead of using the registry.

In most versions of windows, the registry has the following keys which could contain subkeys:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM)

HKEY_USERS (HKU)

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG.

These registry keys work the same way for all windows versions although there has been a change in how they are expended and collapsed.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

This key is abbreviated to HKCR, is used by Windows to manage file type associations, and is usually just link software.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

It could be abbreviated to HKCU and this key holds the user settings for users who are currently logged in and is also a link to HKEY_USERS/<SID_FOR_CURRENT_USERS>.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

 This key is abbreviated to HKLM and stores all system-wide settings. Most times, the HKLM software key is used to check the machine-wide settings.

HKEY_USERS

These keys store every setting for every user on the system and war abbreviated to HKU. HKCU is commonly used but when there is a need to check the settings for a different user on your computer, this is the right key to be used.

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG.

This is where all the information concerning the current hardware configuration is stored.it is not often used and is a link to HKLM/SYSTEM/Currentcontrolset/Hardwareprofile/Current.

How do I Add a Key? 

• To add a key, go to windows and input “window+R” on the keyboard to open the registry editor.
• Then enter “Regedit” and click “OK”.

• Go to the left plane and navigate to the registry key you wish to add, right-click on the key and select “new” then click “key”.

How to Use the Registry

The windows registry can be configured and accessed using the registry editor, which is an editing utility that comes with every version of Microsoft Windows by default. It is the face of the registry and the possible way to view and make adjustments to the registry.

The windows registry editor is not one you should mess around with or make changes on for no just cause as it poses a serious problem when it is used incorrectly. 

This may require a complete reinstalment of the operating system. For protection’s sake, it is always advised to back up the registry before partaking in any edition to enable you to restore it should any problem occur.

There are two basic methods used to open the registry editor in windows 10;

1. Search or type “Regedit” in the search box on the taskbar and select registry editor.

2. Right-click on “start” and select “run”. Then type “Regedit” in the box and select “ok”.

Conclusion 

The registry contains instructions known as the registry values which are located within the registry keys which are all included in several registry hives which are folders that use subfolders to categorize all data in the registry and a change in these keys would bring about a change in the configuration of particular value control. 

Changes on nearly any setting will cause an alteration in the appropriate areas in the registry which you may not realize until your computer is rebooted. 

Please do well to share this post and also drop your questions regarding how to use the windows registry in the comment section.