Editing Windows Registry (section)

=== Command line editing ===
{{Infobox software
| name = reg
| logo = 
| screenshot = 
| screenshot size = 
| caption = 
| developer = [[Microsoft]]
| released = 
| latest release version = 
| latest release date = 
| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| genre = [[Command (computing)|Command]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[commercial software]]
| website = {{URL|https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/reg}}
}}
{{Infobox software
| name                   = regini
| logo                   = 
| screenshot             = 
| screenshot size        = 
| caption                = 
| developer              = [[Microsoft]]
| released               = 
| latest release version = 
| latest release date    = 
| operating system       = [[Microsoft Windows]]
| genre                  = [[Command (computing)|Command]]
| license                = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[commercial software]]
| website                = {{URL|https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/regini}}
}}
The registry can be manipulated in a number of ways from the [[command line interface|command line]]. The <code>Reg.exe</code> and <code>RegIni.exe</code> utility tools are included in Windows XP and later versions of Windows. Alternative locations for legacy versions of Windows include the Resource Kit CDs or the original Installation CD of Windows.

Also, a <code>.REG</code> file can be imported from the command line with the following command:

 RegEdit.exe /s ''file''

The /s means the file will be ''silent merged'' to the registry. If the <code>/s</code> parameter is omitted the user will be asked to confirm the operation. In Windows 98, Windows 95 and at least some configurations of Windows XP the <code>/s</code> switch also causes <code>RegEdit.exe</code> to ignore the setting in the registry that allows administrators to disable it. When using the <code>/s</code> switch <code>RegEdit.exe</code> does not return an appropriate return code if the operation fails, unlike <code>Reg.exe</code> which does.

 RegEdit.exe /e ''file''

exports the whole registry in V5 format to a UNICODE <code>.REG</code> file, while any of

 RegEdit.exe /e ''file'' HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT[\&lt;key&gt;]
 RegEdit.exe /e ''file'' HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG[\&lt;key&gt;]
 RegEdit.exe /e ''file'' HKEY_CURRENT_USER[\&lt;key&gt;]
 RegEdit.exe /e ''file'' HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE[\&lt;key&gt;]
 RegEdit.exe /e ''file'' HKEY_USERS[\&lt;key&gt;]

export the specified (sub)key (which has to be enclosed in quotes if it contains spaces) only.

 RegEdit.exe /a ''file''

exports the whole registry in V4 format to an ANSI <code>.REG</code> file.

 RegEdit.exe /a ''file'' ''&lt;key&gt;''

exports the specified (sub)key (which has to be enclosed in quotes if it contains spaces) only.

It is also possible to use <code>Reg.exe</code>. Here is a sample to display the value of the registry value Version:
<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
Reg.exe QUERY HKLM\Software\Microsoft\ResKit /v Version
</syntaxhighlight>
Other command line options include a [[VBScript]] or [[JScript]] together with [[Windows Script Host|CScript]], [[Windows Management Instrumentation|WMI]] or <code>WMIC.exe</code> and [[Windows PowerShell]].

Registry permissions can be manipulated through the command line using <code>RegIni.exe</code> and the <code>[http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e8ba3e56-d8fe-4a91-93cf-ed6985e3927b&DisplayLang=en SubInACL.exe]</code> tool. For example, the permissions on the {{code|HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE}} key can be displayed using:

<syntaxhighlight lang="text">
SubInACL.exe /keyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE /display
</syntaxhighlight>