We know all the basic parameters in the Windows operating system. Less familiar are all the things you can do with a quick registry hack in regedit (the Windows registry editor). The Windows 11 system registry is where these hacks reside for anyone looking to tweak their machine to the max. A few changed characters or a deleted registry entry opens up a whole new world of possibilities.
Before making any changes to the system registry, we recommend that you have a full backup that you can go back to if things go wrong. Once your backup is in place, you can hack indiscriminately, knowing you’re just a few clicks away from fully restoring your pre-tuned operating system. But it’s not the safest place to snoop either.
What is Windows 11 System Registry?
The Windows Registry is a lesser-known Windows program for those who want to change everything from appearance to behaviors when opening specific applications. It’s a compilation of Windows settings, options, and customizations for hardware and software, giving those who know what they’re looking for the ability to play with anything on their PC.
Windows registries are divided into six root keys called:
The easiest way to access your Windows 11 registry is to use the Registry Editor. Simply press Windows key + R on the keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type “regedit” and click OK. You can also search for “regedit” in the start menu and click on the Registry Editor option.
Sometimes you will need to run Registry Editor as an administrator, which means you have more privileges than a standard user. If you encounter this problem, search for “regedit” once more, right-click Registry Editor and choose “Run as administrator”.
Things to do before using registry hacks
Before trying any of these registry hacks for your Windows PC, create a system restore point first. This ensures that you have a way to undo any errors that may result from trying these hacks. To create a restore point, follow the steps below:
2. Go to the System Protection tab, select C Drive: under Protection Settings, then click Configure.
3. Under Restore Settings, check Enable system protection and click OK.
4. Navigate to the System Protection tab and click Create near bottom from the window.
5. In the window that appears, enter the name of your restore point and click Create. Wait for your PC to load, and that’s it. You now have a restore point for your PC.
4 Best Registry Hacks on Windows 11
The Windows context menu is the small drop-down list that appears whenever you right-click on files or programs. Shortcuts in the context menu make navigation much faster. You can add more programs to your context menu by following this registry hack below:
2. Right-click the shell folder and select New > Key. Then rename this key with the name of the program you want to add to your context menu.
3. Right-click on the key above and repeat the same process, but this time rename the new key to command. A default file should appear under the command key you created.
4. Open the default file above and enter the executable path of your program under the Value data field and click OK.
Disable automatic updates
Windows updates can sometimes be a drag. Nevertheless, we strongly advise you to keep them on. If you have a reasonable reason to disable them, you can do so by following the steps below:
2. Under the AU folder, create a DWORD (32-bit) value named NoAutoUpdate.
3. Open the file you created above, enter 1 in the Value data field and click OK.
4. Restart your PC and Windows 11 update should no longer bother you.
Disable Microsoft Defender
Microsoft Defender is a built-in antivirus application for Windows computers. Unfortunately, using it with other antiviruses often triggers false positives and slows down your PC considerably. To disable this program, simply follow the steps below:
2. Open DisableAntiSpyware, type 1 under the Value data field, then click OK. Restart your PC and Windows Defender should no longer run in the background.
While many are happy with the look of the new Windows 11 context menu, others are not. If you’re in the second group, don’t worry; you can always switch back to the old context menu using Registry Editor.
2. Right click on CLSID and create a new key with name {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}. Then right-click on the new key to create another key named InprocServer32.
3. Open the default file stored under InprocServer32 and click OK. You only have to do this to enable the setting. Therefore, you do not need to update the values.
Congratulations, you are a Windows 11 registry hacking master, enjoy your new skills and put them to good use.
