Many of these configurations that we find in the registry are banal for the operation of the whole set, but there are also those that are fundamental. In the event that we are unlucky enough to change, damage or remove something key in the operation of Windows from the registry, we can find a serious problem.
Why we should not touch the Windows registry
Of course, unless we know very well what we are doing, we do not recommend touching anything of it. An erroneous change could lead to a malfunction of the operating system on several levels, hence the danger involved. To give us an idea of what we are really talking about, say that here we are referring to a database that stores the settings of settings and options Windows.
Therefore, this registry is used to store much of the information and settings of the operating system itself. In addition, all of this also refers to the hardware devices that we add, user preferences, system configuration, installed programs, etc. Hence, as you can imagine, its importance is something vital in the equipment we use daily. To all this we can add that every time we install a program, a series of entries and instructions referring to it are added here.
All this contains a lot additional information of each software, as well as its configured options, among other things. It is true that experienced users can successfully make changes at this level. But equally, if we make mistakes here, the system can start to crash. In addition, all this that we tell you is extensible to the different programs that we have installed on the computer. Both execution and operation could be negatively affected if we mistakenly touch a registry entry or delete one that can be considered untouchable.
But despite all this, sometimes we are almost forced to use this element, the Windows registry, since it can negatively affect the fluidity of the system. One of the main reasons for all this is that the programs that we remove from Windows often leave useless remains in this section. Bearing in mind that this type of uninstallation can be carried out hundreds of timesregistry entries that lead to nothing can be counted on certain occasions, e.g. Thousands. hence precisely the cleaning tasks that in certain circumstances we should carry out here.
Clean the Windows registry without programs
Because a lot of information is stored in it, it is usually used by the system for all kinds of tasks. But of course, as expected, all this, as the months and years go by, takes up more space. Therefore, carrying out a periodic cleaning of it will never hurt. Of course, we must avoid at all costs doing it ourselves by hand, for example, searching for tickets manually.
Unless we are expert users of windows, it is better to use specific tools for all this. In fact, we also have the possibility of using some functions implemented in the system that will help us in all this.
Back up the registry
Of course, be that as it may, before making changes to the Windows registry, we recommend that you make a backup copy of the Windows registry itself. To do this we access the editor, as we taught you previously through the command regedit. Thus, in the new window that appears on the screen, what we do is place ourselves in the File / Export menu option.
This will allow us to create a new file as a backup that we keep in a safe place in case we have to import it later. Thus, in case of disaster, in the same menu we can import that registry backup to solve the failure that we have caused with the change.
This is a very important movement that you should take into consideration whenever you are going to make any kind of modification to this delicate element of windows. The registry is made up of a huge database that refers to both the operating system itself and the applications that we have installed here. If we make a change, even if it seems inconsequential at first, and we make a mistake, this could negatively affect any program we have installed. Likewise, Windows itself could be damaged, with the problems that this would cause.
However, with this process that we have mentioned about the registry backup, something that we can carry out in a matter of seconds, we can save ourselves more than one trouble in the future.
Clean up the registry with Space Cleanup
If we focus on cleaning the registry from the operating system itself, perhaps the easiest and safest method is to use Disk Cleanup. This feature is also more than adequate for removing useless files from your hard drive. It is worth mentioning that it is not specifically designed to clean the registry, but it can remove the remains of applications and windows drivers. So when you delete these files, the corresponding registry entries are usually deleted as well.
For this we have to write its name, Disk Cleanup, in the search box. Here a new window will appear in which we choose to click on the button called Clean system files.
This adds some more options for the function to scan in these to have more sections to do a cleanup. Therefore, in the window that appears, we no longer have to mark the options we want to clean Windows, certain elements of it, and its registry entries.
Clean the Registry manually
Although it is not the most recommended option, we can also manually clean the Registry in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. In the editor we will find a registry entry for each software we have installed, so we can delete it manually from within editor.
To do this, we press the Windows + R keyboard shortcut to launch the Run command. Here we type regedit and press Enter or the OK button to open the Registry Editor.
As we mentioned before, it is preferable to be an advanced Windows user to carry out this type of task manually. When cleaning the registry on our own, any small error could seriously damage the operating system or any of the programs that we have installed here. Even if we are experienced users of the Microsoft system, to carry out these tasks we must pay special attention and carefully read the messages that appear on the screen.
Then we do not move to the route:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE
Once here, we right-click on the key that we are no longer going to need and select Eliminate. We can also mark the key and press the DELETE button on the keyboard to delete it.
In the event that we don’t know a specific registry key or value to delete, we can use the Ctrl + shortcut to search for it.
Using the DISM command
On the other hand, we do not find this useful command of the own OS, the so-called DISM. The meaning of this is Deployment Image Servicing and Management, a tool built into Windows that is used to repair system errors. It can also help us repair problems related to broken registry entries, although it is not a registry cleaner as such. With everything and with this, this is a command that used well can help us when it comes to improving and cleaning the registry as such.
What’s more, this simple command that we use from the CMD tool of the operating system will not be very useful in a multitude of failures related to the operation of Windows. It could be said that it is a self-diagnosis application that allows us to locate and solve multiple errors in the operating system files. Therefore, this is a command that is not only limited to the failures that we cover in these lines.
To do this, what we do is open a command prompt window. This is something we achieve just by writing the command cmd in the Windows search box that we find in the Windows taskbar.
Of course, it is recommended that we run it as administrator with the right mouse button. Then the command prompt window will open, where we enter the following command:
DISM /online /cleanup-image /scanHealth
What we should know once we have reached this point is that the analysis that is carried out finds and cleans the system errors. Not all of them will be directly related to the registry, but they will still help us to make the PC work better. In addition, all this is carried out automatically by the hand of Windows itself. This means that the risks of something going wrong are much lower than with other methods.
with programs
If we don’t want to complicate ourselves, we can also resort to using programs that allow us to clean the Windows registry quickly and easily. Let’s see some recommendations.
CCleaner
The well-known program to clean and optimize Windows has a module that is in charge of analyzing the registry, detecting all those entries that are unnecessary and eliminating them to reduce the size of this database and make the PC work better in general. Best of all, we can use this program for free, without going through the box. The worst thing is that Avast has filled this program with unwanted software, and also collects personal data from users. Sometimes the remedy is worse than the disease. The free version is available through this .
Wise Registry Cleaner
Another veteran when it comes to cleaning the Windows registry. This is a program specially designed for this task. This software is responsible for making a backup of the current state of the registry (to be able to reverse the changes if something goes wrong), and analyzes this entire system database. Thus, you will be able to repair all the problems that may appear and improve the general functioning of the equipment. It also allows us to schedule cleanings so that they are carried out automatically. A program that we can, or pay to get its full potential.
Auslogics Registry Cleaner
We’re talking about a simple yet powerful registry cleaner. Its interface is simple and easy to use since it has a clean design and does not have complicated settings. Its free version provides a basic scan that is usually efficient for any home user. For the most demanding, it has a premium version with which to carry out a deeper analysis and cleaning. In addition, it incorporates tools such as automatic registry backup and a one-click cleaning button. We can download this application directly from its page.
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