How to Open Registry Editor in Windows 11 (and Back Up Before You Edit)

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The quickest way to open Registry Editor in Windows 11 is to press Windows logo key + R, type regedit and press Enter. When the User Account Control prompt appears, select Yes (or enter an administrator password), and Registry Editor opens.

You can also select Start, type regedit in the search box and press Enter. Before you change anything inside it, back up the key you plan to edit. Microsoft warns that incorrect registry changes can cause serious problems that may require reinstalling Windows.

Quick Answer

  1. Press Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type regedit and press Enter.
  3. Select Yes on the User Account Control prompt, or enter administrator credentials.
  4. Before editing, select the key and use File then Export to save a backup.

In This Guide

Before You Start: What the Registry Is and What You Need

The Windows registry is a central database that stores configuration settings for Windows, your user account, installed apps and hardware. Registry Editor (the program file is regedit.exe) is the built-in tool for viewing and changing that database.

These steps follow Microsoft Support and Microsoft Learn documentation as of September 2026 and apply to Windows 11 Home, Pro and Enterprise. Microsoft’s registry backup instructions also apply to Windows 10.

What you need:

  • An administrator account, or its password. Registry Editor asks for administrator approval when it opens. If you use a standard account, someone with an administrator account must type their password.
  • A specific, trustworthy reason to edit. Microsoft recommends using the normal Windows settings whenever they can do the job and editing the registry only when documented instructions tell you exactly what to change.
  • A backup plan. Registry Editor saves changes as soon as you make them, and it has no Undo button. You will make a backup before editing in the section below.

This guide explains how to open and safely move around Registry Editor. It doesn’t include specific registry changes.

Warning: Microsoft states that serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly, and that these problems might require you to reinstall the operating system. Only change values you understand, and only after you back up.

Method 1: Open Registry Editor From the Run Dialog

The Run dialog box is a small window that opens programs by name. Microsoft lists Windows logo key + R as the shortcut that opens it, and it works from anywhere in Windows.

  1. Press Windows logo key + R. Expected result: The Run dialog box opens, usually near the lower-left corner of the screen.
  2. Type regedit in the Open box.
  3. Press Enter or select OK. Expected result: The User Account Control prompt asks whether you want to allow this app to make changes to your device.
  4. Select Yes. If you are signed in with a standard account, enter an administrator’s password first. Expected result: Registry Editor opens with Computer at the top of the left pane and five main folders beneath it.

If you selected No on the prompt, Registry Editor won’t open. Run the command again and select Yes.

This is the method Microsoft uses in its own registry backup instructions.

  1. Select Start or press the Windows logo key.
  2. Type regedit (or Registry Editor) in the search box. Expected result: Registry Editor appears as the best match.
  3. Press Enter or select Registry Editor.
  4. Provide administrator approval when the User Account Control prompt appears.

You can also press Windows logo key + S to open search directly. Search results may show the same app under the name Registry Editor or regedit.

Method 3: Open It as Administrator

Registry Editor already asks for administrator approval by default, so you normally don’t need anything extra. If you want to be explicit, for example when following instructions that say “run as administrator”:

  1. Select Start and type regedit.
  2. Right-click Registry Editor in the results, or look in the right-hand pane of the search results.
  3. Select Run as administrator if it is offered.
  4. Select Yes on the User Account Control prompt.

For more on elevated apps, see our guide on how to run as administrator in Windows 11.

Method 4: Open It From Terminal, Command Prompt or PowerShell

If you already have a command window open, you can start Registry Editor from there.

  1. Right-click Start (or press Windows logo key + X) and select Terminal (the label can vary by version). Command Prompt or PowerShell also work if you prefer them.
  2. Type regedit and press Enter.
  3. Approve the User Account Control prompt.

Registry Editor opens as a separate window. You can close the command window afterward without closing Registry Editor.

Other Ways to Open Registry Editor

These routes are less common but useful when the usual ones are blocked or you are already in another tool. Menu names can vary slightly between Windows 11 updates.

From Windows Tools

Open Start, select All (or All apps), and open Windows Tools. If Registry Editor is listed in that folder, double-click it.

From Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, select Run new task, type regedit and select OK. This can help if the Start menu or taskbar isn’t responding.

From File Explorer

Open File Explorer, go to This PC, then your Windows drive (usually Local Disk (C:)), then the Windows folder. Double-click regedit (it may show as regedit.exe).

Pin it for next time

After you find Registry Editor in Start search, right-click it and choose Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar if those options appear. Only do this if you use it regularly.

Understanding the User Account Control Prompt

User Account Control (UAC) is the Windows security prompt that appears when a program wants to make changes that affect the whole device. It is normal to see it every time you open Registry Editor.

  • Administrator account: the prompt shows Yes and No. Select Yes only if you started Registry Editor yourself.
  • Standard account: the prompt asks for an administrator’s user name and password. Without them, Registry Editor won’t open.
  • Unexpected prompt: if a Registry Editor prompt appears when you didn’t open it, select No and run a security scan.

The prompt shows the program name and publisher. For Registry Editor, the publisher typically shows as Microsoft Windows.

Back Up Before You Edit

Registry Editor has no Undo command, so make a backup every time before you change something. Microsoft documents two approaches.

Export the key you will change

  1. In Registry Editor, select the key (folder) you plan to edit in the left pane.
  2. Select File then Export.
  3. Choose where to save the file and type a file name that describes the key and date.
  4. Select Save. Expected result: A .reg file is saved. It contains a copy of that key and everything inside it.

To restore it later, open Registry Editor, select File then Import, choose the backup file and select Open. Double-clicking a .reg file also offers to add its contents to the registry, so only open .reg files you created yourself or fully trust.

Create a restore point

A restore point is a snapshot of system files and settings, including the registry, that you can roll back to. Microsoft notes that System Protection, the feature that makes restore points, isn’t turned on by default.

  1. Select Start, type Create a restore point and select the result. Expected result: The System Properties window opens on the System Protection tab.
  2. If protection is off for your Windows drive, select Configure, choose Turn on system protection, set the disk space slider and select Apply.
  3. Select Create, type a description such as “Before registry edit,” and select Create.

If something goes wrong later, you can use System Restore to return to that point. Our guide on restoring Windows to a previous date walks through it. For wider protection of your files, see how to back up Windows.

Registry Editor looks like File Explorer. The left pane shows keys (they look like folders) and subkeys (folders inside them). The right pane shows values, which are the actual settings, each with a name, a type and data.

The five root keys

Root key What it holds
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT File associations, such as which app opens which file type
HKEY_CURRENT_USER Settings for the account that is signed in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Settings for the computer that apply to all users
HKEY_USERS All user profiles that are loaded on the computer
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG Hardware profile information used at startup

Common value types include REG_SZ (a text string), REG_DWORD (a 32-bit number) and REG_QWORD (a 64-bit number). Instructions you follow should tell you which type to use.

Jump to a key with the address bar

  1. Look for the address bar just below the menu bar. If you don’t see it, open the View menu and turn on Address Bar if that option is available.
  2. Click in the address bar, paste or type the full key path from your instructions, and press Enter. Expected result: Registry Editor expands the tree and selects that key.

Copying the path from trustworthy instructions avoids typos. If Registry Editor doesn’t jump to the key, check the path, since the key may not exist on your PC.

Search and bookmarks

  • Find: select Edit then Find (often Ctrl + F) to search key names, value names and data. Searching the whole registry can take a while.
  • Favorites: the Favorites menu can save keys you visit often, so you can return in one click.
  • Copy key name: right-clicking a key usually offers Copy Key Name, handy for notes or support requests.

Looking around doesn’t change anything. Changes only happen when you create, rename, edit or delete a key or value.

Which Method Should You Use?

Method Best when Steps
Run dialog (Windows logo key + R) You want the fastest route 3
Start search You prefer the mouse or forget commands 3
Run as administrator Instructions say to elevate explicitly 4
Terminal or Command Prompt You already have a command window open 2
Task Manager Run new task The Start menu or taskbar isn’t responding 4
File Explorer Search and Run aren’t available 4 to 5

Troubleshooting

A message says registry editing has been disabled

If you see a message such as “Registry editing has been disabled by your administrator,” a policy on the PC blocks Registry Editor. On a work or school device, contact your IT team; managed settings are usually controlled centrally and manual edits may be overwritten. On a home PC, sign in with an administrator account and check whether parental controls or security software restricts it.

Nothing happens after the UAC prompt, or the prompt never appears

Check whether Registry Editor opened behind other windows or on another monitor by looking at the taskbar. If it truly didn’t start, restart the PC and try the Run dialog method again.

I don’t have an administrator password

Registry Editor needs administrator approval. Ask the person who manages the PC. Don’t use workarounds to bypass the prompt.

A key from my instructions doesn’t exist

Double-check the path for typos and make sure the instructions are for Windows 11. Settings move between versions. If the source doesn’t clearly say to create the missing key, stop and look for a better source.

My change didn’t take effect

Some changes only apply after you sign out, restart File Explorer or restart Windows. If it still doesn’t apply, confirm you edited the right root key: a setting under HKEY_CURRENT_USER affects only your account.

Windows misbehaves after an edit

Import the .reg backup you exported with File then Import, then restart. If Windows won’t start normally, Microsoft documents opening System Restore from the Windows Recovery Environment through Troubleshoot, Advanced options, System Restore.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the command to open Registry Editor?

Type regedit in the Run dialog box (Windows logo key + R), Start search, Terminal, Command Prompt or PowerShell, then press Enter.

Do I need administrator rights to open Registry Editor?

Yes. Windows shows a User Account Control prompt, and you need to approve it as an administrator or enter an administrator password.

Is it safe to open Registry Editor?

Opening and browsing it is safe. Risk comes from changing or deleting keys and values. Back up first and follow only trusted, specific instructions.

Does Registry Editor have an Undo button?

No. Changes save immediately. Use an exported .reg file or a restore point to go back.

How do I back up the whole registry?

Select Computer at the top of the left pane before choosing File then Export, or create a restore point. Exporting a single key is quicker and easier to restore.

Is regedit the same in Windows 11 and Windows 10?

Opening it works the same way in both, and Microsoft’s backup and restore steps apply to both versions.

Can I open Registry Editor on a work computer?

Your organization may block it. Ask your IT team before making changes, since policies can overwrite manual edits.

Summary

  1. Press Windows logo key + R, type regedit and press Enter.
  2. Or search for regedit from Start, or type it in Terminal.
  3. Approve the User Account Control prompt as an administrator.
  4. Export the key with File then Export, or create a restore point, before any edit.
  5. Use the address bar, Find and Favorites to move around without changing anything.

Next step: Before your first edit, turn on System Protection and create a restore point so you have a way back. Microsoft’s guides on backing up and restoring the registry, System Protection, System Restore and the Windows registry for advanced users explain more.

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