Editing Windows Registry (section)

{{short description|Database for Microsoft Windows}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Windows Registry
| logo =
| screenshot = Regstry Editor.png
| screenshot_size = 300px
| caption = Registry Editor, the user interface for the registry, in [[Windows 11]]
| author = 
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| released = {{start date and age|1992|4|6}} with [[Windows 3.1]]
<!--| tools = {{bulleted list
|'''for edit:''' RegEdit.exe, Reg.exe, RegIni.exe, SubInACL.exe, RegEdt32.exe
|'''for backup and recovery:''' Scanreg.exe, Scanregw.exe, ERU.exe, Cfgback.exe, RDISK.EXE, Regback.exe, RegRest.exe
|'''for policy edit:''' gpedit.msc, gpmc.msc, poledit.exe
|'''for self-registration:''' Regsvr32.exe
}}-->| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| platform = [[IA-32]], [[x86-64]] and [[ARM architecture|ARM]] (and historically [[DEC Alpha]], [[Itanium]], [[MIPS architecture|MIPS]], and [[PowerPC]])
| included with = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| genre = [[Hierarchical database]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
}}
The '''Windows Registry''' is a [[hierarchical database]] that stores [[High- and low-level|low-level]] settings for the [[Microsoft Windows]] operating system and for applications that opt to use the registry. The [[kernel (operating system)|kernel]], [[device driver]]s, [[Windows service|services]], [[Security Accounts Manager]], and [[Graphical user interface|user interfaces]] can all use the registry. The registry also allows access to [[Instrumentation (computer programming)|counters]] for profiling system performance.

In other words, the registry or Windows Registry contains information, settings, options, and other values for programs and hardware installed on all versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems. For example, when a program is installed, a new subkey containing settings such as a program's location, its version, and how to start the program, are all added to the Windows Registry.

When introduced with [[Windows 3.1]], the Windows Registry primarily stored configuration information for [[Component Object Model|COM]]-based components. [[Windows 95]] and [[Windows NT]] extended its use to rationalize and centralize the information in the profusion of [[INI file]]s, which held the configurations for individual programs, and were stored at various locations.<ref name="Reghist">{{cite web | url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/1100/Registry/ | title = Windows 2000 Registry: Latest Features and APIs Provide the Power to Customize and Extend Your Apps | access-date = 2007-07-19 |first = Dino |last = Esposito |work = MSDN Magazine |publisher = Microsoft |archive-date=2003-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030415200916/http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/1100/Registry/ |date=November 2000}}</ref><ref name="SystemRegistry">{{cite web | url = https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms970651.aspx | title = The System Registry}}</ref>  It is not a requirement for Windows applications to use the Windows Registry. For example, [[.NET Framework]] applications use [[XML]] files for configuration, while [[portable application]]s usually keep their configuration files with their [[executable]]s.