How to Clean the Windows Registry by Hand

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: November 8, 2023 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to remove unnecessary entries from your Windows Registry. Keep in mind that the Registry is an extremely sensitive archive that documents every process and setting on your computer, so deleting entries from it can result in anything from minor errors to a bricked computer. Only edit the Registry if you're confident you won't remove something important.

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Preparing to Clean the Registry

Download Article

The Windows Registry stores information about every process, program, and setting on your computer, so removing the wrong entry can result in your computer failing to work properly.
Unfortunately, cleaning the Registry by hand isn't safe, and following the steps in this article may not result in your computer speeding up or resolving corrupted Registry entries due to the limited approach you'll have to take. If you want to clean your Registry in an effective, thorough manner without deleting anything important, use the Registry Cleaner app instead.

Advertisement
The best way to clean the Registry without using a program is by placing your computer in Safe Mode. This will prevent other programs from interfering with your cleaning, becoming corrupted, or making changes to your computer.
4
Uninstall any programs you don't need. Before you can begin cleaning out the Registry, try removing the programs you no longer want to use:
- Open Start
  .
- Click Settings
  .
- Click Apps.
- Select a program you want to uninstall.
- Click Uninstall.
- Follow any uninstall prompts.
Back up your computer. If you accidentally corrupt your computer's Registry, you may need to restore your operating system from a backup.
6
Back up the Registry. To do so:
- Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit into Start and then clicking regedit.
- Click File in the top-left corner.
- Click Export... in the drop-down menu.
- Enter a name for your Registry backup.
- Check the "All" box on the left side of the window.
- Click Save.
- Wait for the Registry to finish exporting (this can take several minutes, and the Registry Editor may freeze).

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Entering Safe Mode

Download Article

Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
It's in the lower-left corner of the Start menu. A pop-up menu will appear.
You'll find Restart in the pop-up menu. Do not stop holding down ⇧ Shift until instructed to do so.
Once the screen turns blue, you can release the ⇧ Shift key.
It's in the middle of the screen.
You'll find this next to an icon that resembles a set of tools.
It's in the middle of the screen.
You'll find this at the bottom of the screen.
Press the key that corresponds with the number to the left of the "Safe Mode with Networking" prompt (usually the 5 key) to do so. Your computer will restart into Safe Mode, after which point you're free to begin cleaning out the Registry.

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Opening the Registry Editor

Download Article

Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Type in regedit to do so.
It's at the top of the Start menu.
Doing so opens the Registry Editor program.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Cleaning the Registry

Download Article

Click the
icon to the left of the folder, which is in the upper-left side of the window, to do so.
You'll find a list of folders related to your installed programs in here.
3
Find a folder for an unused program. Since the only files you can safely delete are ones pertaining to programs you've already uninstalled, you'll want to find a folder that matches the name or company of a program you no longer use.
- You may have to expand the folder of a company (e.g., "Adobe") to see a list of related program folders.
Doing so prompts a drop-down menu.
It's in the drop-down menu.
Doing so deletes the Registry entry.
Once you're finished deleting the folders of programs you've already removed, you can proceed.
Click the X in the top-right corner of the Registry Editor, then restart your computer from the "Power"
menu. Once your computer finishes restarting, it will be back in regular mode, and your Registry's changes will be saved.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Using the Registry Cleaner App

Download Article

1
Install the Registry Cleaner app. This app can help guide you through cleaning your Registry by scanning for corrupted or unnecessary files, determining which ones are safe to remove, and removing them as needed. To install it, do the following:
- Go to http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/registry-cleaner/ in your computer's web browser.
- Click Download now.
- Double-click the downloaded setup file.
- Click Yes when prompted.
- Click Click to install.
- Uncheck the offered software's box and click Decline (you may have to do this several times).
- Wait for the app to finish installing.
Click Finish once the Registry Cleaner finishes installing, then click Yes when prompted.
It's a tab at the top of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.
In the Settings drop-down menu, you'll see a "Back Up Changes" option which should have a checkmark to the left of it. If this option isn't checked, click it to check it.
This option is at the bottom of the window. Registry Cleaner will begin scanning your Registry for bad entries. When the results display, you can proceed.
6
Click Repair. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so causes Registry Cleaner to remove any unnecessary or corrupted entries.
- This can take anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour depending on how bloated your Registry is.
7
Restore your Registry settings if necessary. If your computer begins acting different or displaying errors for normal processes, you can restore your Registry by doing the following:
- Click File.
- Click Rescue Center.
- Select the most recent backup.
- Click Restore.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I delete a registry entry for Visual Studio 2010?

Community Answer

You can probably use the program CCleaner for this, as there is a section to delete registries.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 8 Helpful 14
Question

What do I do if I get a notification that my Kindle's file is broken and I to run chskdsk, but it won't run?

Community Answer

Ignore it, if you can. Make sure to safely remove your Kindle (and any USB device, for that matter) by ejecting it! Doing so will often fix those issues. You can also delete your USB controller from the device manager and restart your workstation/computer, and that'll reload the USB logs.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0
Question

How can I erase raw registries from my computer in windows 07?

Community Answer

Just follow the steps in this article. However, it's recommended to always backup your registry first and only do it if you know what you're doing.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

If your computer begins acting odd or malfunctioning after cleaning the Registry, you can restore the Registry backup you created by opening the Registry Editor, clicking File, clicking Import..., and selecting the backup file.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0