How to Clean Computer Registry at Home

The registry included as part of Windows on your PC is essentially what controls Windows via something called "keys." The registry tells Windows where to locate files when icons are clicked and manages settings. At times, your registry can need "cleaning" as uninstalled programs can leave registry information behind and viruses frequently add various keys to the registry. If you are unsure about how to clean your registry, you can make serious mistakes. Free software to help you safely clean your registry.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• CCleaner software

1. Visit CCleaner's website (see Resources).

2. Click "Download CCleaner now..." Download and install CCleaner using the default settings. Add icons to the desktop or other areas if you choose.

3. Open the CCleaner application and select "Registry" from the left hand menu bar. Click "Scan for Issues" at the bottom of the application window. Allow the scan to run. This may take a few minutes.

4. Leave all registry values it displays upon completing the scan selected. Click "Fix Selected Issues" at the bottom right of the application window.

5. Click "Yes" when prompted if you want to back up your registry. This allows you to restore your registry to where it was before cleaning in the event something goes wrong.

6. Select a location to save your registry back up. Click "Save."

7. Click "Fix All Selected Issues" when prompted. Click "Ok" to confirm. This deletes the bad registry keys found during the scan.

8. Repeat Steps 3 through 7 until your scan comes back totally clean. Reboot your computer.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your registry regularly to eliminate glitches in Windows. If you need to reinstall your registry back up, double click the file icon where you saved it and follow the prompts.
• Back up your registry. Never attempt to manually edit your registry without knowing how.

Resources

• CCleaner Download Site