How to open the Windows registry

Windows 10

  1. Type regedit in the Windows search box on the taskbar and press Enter.
  2. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to open the Registry Editor.

Windows 8

  1. Type regedit on the Start screen and select the regedit option in the search results.
  2. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to open the Registry Editor.

Windows 7 and earlier

  1. Click Start or press the Windows key.
  2. In the Start menu, either in the Run box or the Search box, type regedit and press Enter. In Windows 8, you can type regedit on the Start screen and select the regedit option in the search results. In Windows 10, type regedit in the Search box on the taskbar and press Enter.
  3. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to open the Registry Editor.