It is highly recommended not to use the Registry Editor until you have much information about it, as incorrect registry settings can lead to serious issues. So, have proper guidance before performing any operation in the Registry Editor.
This blog will observe a detailed instructional guide to solve the mentioned query.
How to Add, Change, & Delete Registry Keys & Values?
The registry key stores the lower-level settings in Windows hierarchical structure form, such as device drivers, services, or user interfaces. In comparison, the registry value is used to enable or disable a certain app, process, or service and is always located inside the registry key.
The registry keys and values can be added, modified, or deleted to enable/disable or modify certain processes, apps, or services in Windows. For that reason, follow the given procedures:
- How to add registry keys & values?
- How to change registry keys & values?
- How to delete registry keys & values?
Note: Before you move on and create changes in the Registry Editor, it is recommended to back up the registry. In case, if you want to learn “how to back up the registry”, then navigate to the provided guide.
How to Add Registry Keys & Values?
The registry keys and values can be added by following the given methods.
Method 1: Add a Registry Key
First of all, navigate to the Start menu and open “Registry Editor”:
From the left pane, right-click on the sub-key or key, hover over “New”, and select “Key”:
As a result, a new key will be added.
Method 2: Add a Registry Value
Similarly, from the left pane, right-click on the sub-key or key, hover over “New”, and select “String Value” for adding the registry value:
Note: You can add other values such as Binary, DWORD, QWORD, Multi-String, or Expandable String by selecting from the menu.
How to Change Registry Keys & Values?
In this section, we have provided various procedures to change, rename and modify the registry keys and values.
Method 1: Rename a Registry Key
First, right-click on the newly added registry key and select “Rename”. You can also enter your desired name:
Method 2: Rename Registry Value
Right-click on the newly added registry value and select “Rename”, and type the new name of the registry value:
Method 3: Modify the Registry Value
Right-click on the newly added registry value and select the “Modify” option:
Now, enter “1” to enable the value, or enter “0” to disable the value in the “Value data” section. After modifying, hit the “OK” button to save changes:
How to Delete Registry Keys & Values?
In order to delete registry keys and values, we have compiled a complete procedure below.
Method 1: Delete a Registry Key
To delete the registry key, first, right-click on the newly added registry key and select “Delete”:
Method 2: Delete Registry Value
To delete the registry value, right-click on the newly added registry value and select “Delete”:
That was all about adding, changing, and deleting registry keys and values in the Windows Registry.
Conclusion
To add a registry key/value, right-click on the key and hover over “New”, select “Key” to add a key, and select “String Value” to add value. Similarly, right-click on the added key/value, select “Rename” to change its name, and select “Modify” to change it. However, to delete the registry key/value, right-click on it and trigger the “Delete” option. This blog has presented a complete procedure to add, change & delete registry keys and values in the registry.
