The Windows Registry is home to lots of data containing information well-nigh how the Bone behaves. Almost changes that you make on your system bear on the registry, so it regularly adjusts, adds, and removes values.

If you've accidentally messed up the registry by making a transmission mistake or some other fault, you might wonder how to reset the registry to default. Let'south await at the various methods for resetting the registry in Windows and how to prevent these issues in the futurity.

The Only Way to Fully Reset the Registry

Unfortunately, there'south no elementary method to reset only the registry. Because the registry contains and so much data about your specific Windows configuration, you tin't reset the registry to a clean state without rendering your system inoperable.

Equally a consequence, the only true way to reset the Windows Registry to default is to reset your Windows PC. The process of resetting Windows reinstalls the operating system, which volition naturally reset the registry.

To reset your Windows PC, open Settings from the Start carte or with Win + I, and so go to Update & Security > Recovery and click Get Started under Reset this PC.

This volition give you the choice to but reinstall Windows while keeping your files, or nuke everything and showtime from scratch. Yous'll also be able to choose between reinstalling Windows using recovery information from your organization, or downloading a fresh copy over the cyberspace.

Windows 10 Reset This PC

No matter which combination of these options you choose, you'll fully reinstall Windows, which will reset the registry. It'south manifestly not convenient, but if y'all want to reset your entire registry to its default settings, this is the only method.

Withal, there are other ways to go back in time with the registry, or give yourself a backup in case of hereafter problems. Let's consider those.

Reset Recent Registry Changes Using Arrangement Restore

System Restore is a recovery feature congenital into Windows. Whenever you brand changes like installing an app or a major update, Windows creates a restore point. You can afterward use these restore points to disengage the changes if they cause issues.

Using a restore indicate will disengage whatsoever changes to app, drivers, and organisation updates since that indicate in time. This includes the tweaks that such actions brand to the registry, allowing yous to reset some parts of the registry that you've recently modified. This method isn't perfect for resetting the registry, though.

click on choose a different system restore to select a restore point of your choice

It won't permit yous entirely reset the registry, unless you created a restore bespeak as presently as y'all started using your make-new computer. Fifty-fifty for less desperate resets, you might not have a restore point from correct before you made changes. Windows lets you make a restore indicate manually, but that doesn't assistance if you're already having a problem.

Reset Some of the Registry From a File Backup

The Registry Editor makes it piece of cake to export registry entries to proceed them as a backup, share them with others, or similar. This is another case where you're out of luck if you didn't consign anything from the registry before you wanted to reset it.

For the future, though, information technology'southward good to know how to export registry entries and import them later to restore the fill-in. First, open the Registry Editor past typing registry into the Start menu to find the utility. You'll need to provide administrator permissions to launch it.

Now, in the left panel, correct-click on the registry value you want to back up for later and choose Export. Requite the exported file a name and choose where to save it on your system, and you lot'll get a file ending in .reg.

Windows Export Registry Entry

To later restore this file, yous tin can go to File > Import in the Registry Editor window and locate it on your computer. For a simpler method, just double-click on the .reg file to merge information technology into your own registry.

While yous tin correct-click on Calculator and choose Export to back up the entirety of your registry, this isn't very applied. Remember that the registry contains a huge number of entries that change regularly. Trying to merge an entire past registry into your current 1 is likely to cause problems, so you shouldn't do this.

Backing up and restoring individual registry entries is great for safety when you brand modest changes, merely it's non applied for resetting the whole registry to default.

How to Ready Registry Issues

Presumably, you're looking to reset the Windows Registry to default considering of issues on your arrangement. And while the reset and System Restore options in a higher place are your best options for serious problems, Windows also includes some utilities to aid scan for and fix corrupted system files. You might not need to do a full reset, so try these tools first.

Windows used to include a tool called ScanReg that checked for registry problems, but this isn't available in mod versions. Instead, yous can use an SFC scan, which checks for invalid organisation files and tries to repair them when possible.

To run SFC, type cmd into the Start Menu to show the Control Prompt tool, then right-click it and choose Run as ambassador, since y'all demand to open an elevated prompt to run this command. Provide admin permissions, then enter the following:

          sfc /scannow

This volition perform a full browse of your system, which tin can accept some time. When it'southward done, you'll see a summary of the results. In example yous need help with this tool or it finds bug that information technology can't fix, see our guide to using SFC and DISM.

How to Foreclose Registry Damage in the Future

To avoid some other situation where you lot want to reset the registry to default, you should accept care when making whatsoever changes to it. Only make manual tweaks if you're certain what yous're doing; don't follow random guides containing registry tips unless y'all're sure you can trust them.

Information technology'southward too wise to have backups ahead of time. If yous didn't already have Organisation Restore ready, make certain you exercise now. That could salvage yous a lot of time in case of registry troubles in the future.

Finally, don't use registry cleaners. These usually cause more problems than they fix, and so stay abroad from them.

Restore the Registry When Needed

Now you know the chief method of resetting the Windows registry, along with other ways to undo registry changes. And with a bit of intendance, you tin can avoid this trouble in the future so you don't have to spend time resetting your system.

In general, unless you accept a specific reason to be in the registry, it's best to stay away.

Paradigm Credit: Sinart Creative/Shutterstock

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Nearly The Writer

Ben Stegner (1799 Articles Published)

Ben is the Editor in Chief at MakeUseOf. He left his It job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He'south been roofing tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over eight years.

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