REG Files ,A document with the .REG report extension is a Registration record utilized by the Windows Registry. These documents can comprise hives, keys, and values.
REG files can be constituted of scratch in a text editor or may be produced by the Windows Registry when backing up elements of the registry.
What Are REG Files Used For?
There are two most important ways to edit the Windows registry:
- Open Registry Editor and then make registry changes manually.
- Use a REG document.
Think of a REG file as a fixed of commands for converting the Windows Registry. Everything in a REG file explains the modifications that should be made to the modern state of the registry.
In other words, and in wellknown, any variations between the REG record being performed and the Windows Registry will bring about an addition or elimination of whatever keys and values are concerned.
For instance, right here are the contents of a easy three-line REG document that provides cost to a specific key inside the registry.
In this example, the intention is to feature the statistics necessary for the classic Blue Screen of Death fake-out:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\kbdhid\Parameters]
"CrashOnCtrlScroll"=dword:00000001That CrashOnCtrlScroll price isn’t blanketed inside the registry by means of default. You could open Registry Editor and create it your self, manually, or you may construct those commands in a REG report and have it delivered mechanically.
Another manner to observe REG documents is to think of them as tools to edit the registry.
With a REG file, you could shop plenty of time when making the identical registry adjustments on a couple of computer systems. Just create one REG report with the modifications you want to make and then practice them instantly on a couple of PCs.
How to View, Change, and Build REG Files
REG files are textual content-based files. Looking again at the instance above, you could actually see the numbers, route, and letters that make up the REG report. This way you may open a REG record and examine the whole thing in it, as well as edit it, using not anything extra than a text editor.
Windows Notepad is the text editor included in Windows. You can view or edit a .REG document using Notepad in case you proper-click (or tap and preserve) the REG file and pick out Edit.
If you want, you may use Windows Notepad whenever you want to view or edit a REG file, but there are different free text editor gear that are less difficult to work with in case you plan on operating with these documents a lot. A few of our favorites are indexed on this Best Free Text Editors listing.
How to View, Change, and Build:
Since REG documents are nothing extra than text files, Notepad, or one of those other textual content editors, can also be used to build a present day REG record from scratch.
Using our instance from above all over again, all you need to do to create a REG file is open your favored textual content editor after which type those instructions exactly as they’re written.
Next, pick out “All Files (.)” because the Save as type, and shop the file as something memorable, with the .REG extension of course, like FakeBSOD.REG.
NOTE: It’s very smooth to accidentally bypass over the Save as kind option when saving a record as a REG file. If you forget to do that and instead store the file as a TXT report (or any sort of document apart from REG), you might not be capable of use it for registry modifying.
Just like you see in the instance from above, all REG documents ought to follow the following syntax in order for Registry Editor to recognize them:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[<Hive name>\<Key name>\<Subkey name>]
“Value name”=<Value type>:<Value data>
IMPORTANT: Although neither the contents of a REG document nor the keys in the Windows Registry are case touchy, a few registry values are, so keep that during thoughts while authoring or enhancing REG files.
How to Import/Merge/Open
To “open” a REG report should mean commencing it for editing or beginning it to execute it. If you want to edit a REG report, see the How to View, Change, and Build REG Files segment above. If you want to execute the REG document (honestly do what the REG file is written to do), hold analyzing…
Executing a REG file way to merge it with, or import it to, the Windows Registry. You actually combine the contents of the .REG record with the other registry keys and values that exist already.
Whether your goal is to apply the REG report to add, delete, and/or trade one or more keys or values, merging/uploading is the handiest manner to do it.
IMPORTANT: Always lower back up the Windows Registry earlier than merging your custom-made or downloaded REG document with it. You can skip this step in case you’re restoring a preceding backup with this REG record but please don’t forget this essential step in all different cases.
How to Import/Merge/Open REG Files:
To “execute” a REG report (i.E. Merge/import it with the Windows Registry), simply double-click or double-tap at the report.
This method is the identical no matter the contents of the REG record – a formerly made backup you’re restoring, a registry tweak you authored, a downloaded “restoration” for a problem, and many others.
NOTE: Depending on how your computer is set up, you may see a User Account Control message that you want to just accept on the way to import the REG record.
If you are sure that the REG document you have selected is secure to add to the Windows Registry, then click or faucet Yes on the activate that follows to confirm that that’s what you need to do.
That’s it! Depending at the modifications that the REG document made to the Windows Registry, you may need to restart your laptop.
TIP: If you need greater targeted help than the fast outline we’ve above, see How to Restore the Registry in Windows for a more thorough how-to. That piece is focused more at the restore-from-a-backup technique however in truth, it’s the equal system as merging a REG file.