Editing Registry Values

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated September 7, 2015)

2

You change information in the Registry by using the Registry Editor to change the contents of a value. Here's the simplest way to make your changes:

  1. Start the Registry Editor, as you normally would.
  2. Locate the value you want to change. (You can look for it manually by drilling down through keys and values or you can use the Find feature in the Registry Editor.)
  3. Either double-click the value name at the right side of the Registry Editor or highlight the value and press Enter. You'll see a dialog box that allows you to change the value's contents. (See Figure 1.)

    4. Figure 1. The Registry Editor allows you to change Registry values.

  4. Make your changes, as desired.
  5. Click OK.

Remember that when you change values in the Registry, the effect of those changes may not be immediately apparent. In many cases, you'll need to restart Windows—and thereby force it to reload the Registry—in order to see the results of your change.

 This tip (10956) applies to Windows 7 and 8.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Turning Off Track Changes Change Bars

Word includes a feature that allows you to track changes made to a document. One of the ways in which Word marks your ...

Discover More

Searching for Multi-Byte Hex Codes

Need to find a character for which you only know the hex code? There are a few ways you can search for the information, ...

Discover More

Modifying the Color Scheme

Windows maintains what it calls a color scheme to control how the various elements of Windows appear. Here's how to ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Backing Up the Windows Registry

Windows wouldn't function if it weren't for the Registry. It's important, therefore, to back it up�"especially before ...

Discover More

Hiding Folders Under This PC

File Explorer is a virtual necessity when it comes to navigating the file system. If you find it a little too verbose, ...

Discover More

How the Registry is Organized

There may come a time when you need to view or even modify the registry. In such a case, it's good to know how the ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 1 + 3?

2015-09-07 09:01:02

sy

To add to my other comment: Another good practice before manually editing the registry is to create a Restore Point and label it Registry Edit. If something goes bad, go to that point and restore the registry as it was before you made the edit(s).

2015-09-07 08:52:28

Steve

To repeat a warning I posted in the other article about manipulating the registry in this issue of Windows Tips: Before making ANY changes directly to the registry, make a copy of the current registry. To do this, once in the registry program, click the File tab then the Export item. Export the registry to some file, preferably on a memory stick or the like. If something goes wrong, you can import that saved registry. Another suggestion is to save any entry you intend to change before the change is made to notepad or other text editor. If your change causes problems, copy the notepad line(s) back to the registry either manually or by copy/paste method. Remember, the registry is a very powerful thing which can really bite you if you don't have a recovery method.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WindowsTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.

Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR AUTHORS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.