On Home windows, a .reg file incorporates a record of adjustments to the Home windows Registry. These information are a fast way to make uncomplicated changes—but they can also be dangerous. Here’s how to see what a REG file does before you operate it.
What Is a REG File?
The Windows Registry is a databases the place Windows and some third-bash apps retail outlet configurations and other knowledge.
Several options on Home windows 10 can only be changed in the Windows Registry. Some alternatives can also be improved in Group Policy—but only Experienced, Organization, and Schooling editions of Windows 10 have access to that.
We include a lot of “registry hacks”—changes to the Home windows Registry—here at How-To Geek.
You can transform these configurations by yourself applying the Registry Editor, but it can take some clicking. To pace factors up, we also present downloadable REG files you can run to make these variations.
REG data files can be established in various ways—you can use the “Export” selection in the Registry Editor or compose the REG file by hand in a text editor like Notepad.
Linked: How to Make Your Personal Windows Registry Hacks
Why REG Data files Can Be Dangerous
REG data files just contain a listing of Registry variations. When you double-simply click the REG file, Windows will make the adjustments specified in the file.
If the REG file is from a reliable supply and does not have any issues in it, which is high-quality. For illustration, you can generate your have REG file to speedily make your beloved modifications to any new Home windows Laptop.
However, a REG file can also do poor matters. It can mess up many options or delete elements of the Windows Registry when you run it.
How to Perspective a REG File’s Contents
Prior to jogging a REG file, we advise inspecting its contents. We’ll exhibit how to do this, using our “LastActiveClick” registry hack, which would make a single simply click on a taskbar icon activate the previous window you utilized from that program—no various clicks essential.
To perspective the contents of a REG file, appropriate-click it in File Explorer and choose “Edit.” This will open up it in Notepad.
Be aware: If you do not see the “Edit” solution, the REG file could be inside a ZIP archive. You may well have to have to extract the REG file from the ZIP archive before continuing. You can just copy-and-paste or drag-and-fall it to another folder.
You will see a warning ahead of you open the file if you downloaded it from the internet. As very long as you clicked “Edit,” you can click “Run” to go on. It is safe—you’re just opening a text file in Notepad.
Note: If you unintentionally click on “Merge” instead—or if you double-click on the file—you will see a Consumer Account Manage window immediately after clicking “Run.” Click on “No” to the prompt if you’re not completely ready to insert the contents of the file to your registry however.
Connected: How to Make Your Taskbar Buttons Usually Change to the Past Lively Window
How to Read through a REG File
You will see the contents of the REG file exhibited in Notepad. If it is a straightforward registry hack, you ought to just see a couple strains. Here’s what our Previous Energetic Click on registry hack looks like:
Home windows Registry Editor Model 5.00 developed by Walter Glenn for How-To Geek report: https://www.feedbasket.com/281522/how-to-make-your-taskbar-buttons-generally-switch-to-the-past-energetic-window/ [HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced] "LastActiveClick"=dword:00000001
The 1st line, “Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00”, just allows you know what form of file this is.
In this file, strains two via four begin with a “” character. This signifies they are “remarks.” They really do not actually do anything at all when they run the file—they’re just here to be human-readable to any humans examining the file.
The fifth and sixth traces are the meat of this specific file. The fifth line tells Windows to make a change at the pursuing place, or “key,” in the registry:
HKEY_Recent_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced
The sixth line tells Home windows to develop a DWORD worth named “LastActiveClick” and set its benefit to “1”. (If the benefit presently exists, Home windows will established its worth to “1”.)
We also have a registry file that undoes these variations. It differs by acquiring this textual content as a substitute:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced] "LastActiveClick"=-
The minus sign (“-“) tells Home windows to delete the LastActiveClick value.
REG files can continue on numerous traces of improvements, but they’ll all be in a identical structure.
How to Know If a REG File Is Risk-free
At How-To Geek, we pair downloadable REG information with recommendations for modifying the placing on your own in the registry. If you would be at ease creating a change in the registry by hand, you must be comfortable with jogging a REG file that makes the exact transform.
If you don’t fully grasp what the REG file does—and specifically if you don’t have confidence in its source—then do not run it.
Suggestion: We really do not advise you just have confidence in us, possibly! Remember to, feel free of charge to verify our operate: When you down load a REG file from us, look at its contents and be certain you’re comfy with them ahead of you run the file. It’s fantastic to get in the habit of double-examining all REG data files right before you run them.
If you do belief the file, just double-simply click it—or suitable-click on it and choose “Merge.” Home windows will question you if you want to allow the Registry Editor make improvements to your laptop or computer. Concur and the contents of the registry file will be merged with your PC’s registry.