Windows Registry

What is the Windows Registry?

The Windows Registry, usually referred to as "the registry," is a centralized database of configuration settings in Microsoft Windows operating systems.
What is the Windows Registry Used For?

The Windows Registry is used as a single place to store much of the information and settings for software programs, hardware devices, user preferences, operating system configurations, and much more.

In many ways, the registry can be thought of as a kind of DNA for the Windows operating system.
How is the Windows Registry Accessed?

The Windows Registry is accessed and configured using the Microsoft Registry Editor program, a free registry editing utility included with every version of Microsoft Windows.

Registry Editor is, for all reasonable purposes, the registry itself. All available options in the registry are configurable via Registry Editor.
How is the Windows Registry Used?

The registry contains a number of registry values located within registry keys, all within a registry hive. Making changes to these values and keys using Registry Editor will change the configuration that a particular value controls.

Here a few examples where making changes to registry values alters a program in some way:

* How To Prevent Programs From Stealing Focus in Windows XP
* How To Change the Windows XP Product Key Code

The registry is constantly being referenced by Windows and other programs. When you make changes to nearly any setting, changes are also made to the appropriate areas in the registry.
Basic Microsoft Registry Editor Functions

Even though the registry contains thousands of values, there are only a few things you need to know before you're able to make nearly any registry change.