How to Edit Your Computer's Registry
Troubleshooting situations occasionally mandate a modification to the Windows Registry. Modifications also open the door to software customizations by giving you the ability to change an otherwise unchangeable option or feature. Use Microsoft's Windows Registry Editor to make these modifications.
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Instructions
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Click the "Start" button, type "Regedit.exe" in the search box and press the "Enter" key. Click "Yes" in the the warning dialog box that appears.
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Look at the left pane, which contains five folders. Known as "Keys," each of these five main keys has several sub-keys. This is where you navigate to the desired location when editing specific registry locations.
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Double-click to expand or open a key. This expands a set of sub-keys. Double-click through each sub-key until you have reached the desired registry location.
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Look on the right pane once you have navigated to the appropriate location. This area contains the various registry values. Locate the value you need to edit.
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Double-check the instructions you were given before proceeding any further. Ensure you have navigated to the proper registry location, and confirm you have identified the correct value you need to edit.
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Right-click the value and click "Modify." This opens a small window with value information on your screen. Edit the value by changing the information in the "Value Data" field. Click the "OK" button at the bottom of the window to save your change.
Delete a value or key by right-clicking the item and clicking the "Delete" option. Click "Yes" when asked to confirm. Be certain you are deleting the correct value or key.
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Close the registry editor. Some registry edits requires you to restart your computer before any changes take effect.
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Tips & Warnings
Changing the wrong registry items -- or changing the right ones but with the wrong values -- can seriously undermine your computer's performance, potentially making it inoperable, so make sure you know what you're changing.
