10 ways to fix broken registry items in Windows 11: Step-by-step guide

The common Windows consumer could by no means need to entry the Windows Registry, however quite a lot of purposes and Windows providers do. If the registry gadgets have gone dangerous, you’ll expertise quite a lot of issues similar to larger CPU utilization, random system crashes, prolonged startup and shutdown instances, and sub-par international efficiency. Needless to say, it’s crucial that the registry stays in working order.  

Here’s every thing you might want to find out about fixing registry gadgets in Windows 11, creating registry backups, and some tips about system upkeep. 

What is Windows Registry?

The Windows Registry is a system-wide repository of information and settings that shops vital details about Windows, consumer preferences, purposes, {hardware}, and a bunch of different important constituents that make up your private pc.

This knowledge is saved inside ‘key’ and ‘values’ – the 2 primary parts of the registry – and is referenced by Windows at any time when wanted. 

Registry gadgets that go lacking, are contaminated, altered wrongly, or are in any other case damaged can impression your PC in quite a few methods, and needs to be averted altogether.

What can result in damaged registry gadgets?

There are quite a few elements that may result in damaged registry gadgets. Here are a number of widespread ones:

1. Virus and Malware: Perhaps the most typical purpose for damaged registry gadgets, malware infestation can corrupt a number of keys and values directly and impression the functioning of all these settings that depend on them. 

2. Fragmentation: Fragmenting of the registry over time can even break sure gadgets, particularly after putting in software program or updating software program and providers. 

3. Registry meddling: Improper modifications to the registry carried out by way of the Registry Editor can find yourself breaking registry gadgets too, particularly when carried out with out correct information or details about what’s occurring.  

4. Build-up of things: Over time, your registry can find yourself with tons of things which are corrupted, pointless, plain empty, or misplaced. This can’t solely damage different, useful registry gadgets, but in addition clog your system and injury it internally. 

How to repair damaged registry gadgets on Windows 11 (10 strategies defined)

If your system has slowed to a crawl, is taking longer as well up/shut down, crashing sporadically, or spewing errors at each nook, you might have damaged registry gadgets. Here are a number of methods of fixing them. 

Method 1: Run System File Checker (SFC) Scan

The native System File Checker is designed specifically to repair damaged lacking system information, together with these within the registry. Here’s how to utilize it:

1. Press Start, sort cmd, right-click on the Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator. That will open the Command Prompt device for you.
   
2. Here, sort the next command: sfc /scannow
   
3. Press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete.
   
4. You ought to get a message that claims that Windows Resource Protection discovered corrupt information and efficiently repaired them. 

If you get a message that claims in any other case, transfer on to the subsequent few fixes.

Method 2: Run DISM Tool

The second path to take when fixing damaged gadgets is to make use of the Deployment Image & Servicing Management (DISM) device to scan for points. Here’s how to take action:

1. Open the Command Prompt as proven earlier than. Then sort the next command: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanWell being
   
2. Then press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete.
   
3. Then enter this command: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreWell being
   
4. Press Enter.
   
5. Once completed, restart your PC and examine if the system performance has improved. 

Method 3: Run the Disk Cleanup Tool 

Disk Cleanup is a local device that may assist clear up system information and unclog registry gadgets. Here’s how to utilize it:

1. Press Start, sort disk cleanup, and open the appliance.
   
2. Now, select drive ‘C:’ (default choice) and click on on OK.
   
3. On the disk cleanup window, you’ll discover a bunch of information which you can delete to save lots of up area. But we need to clear system information so select Clean up system information in direction of the underside left.
   
4. Again select C: drive and click on OK.
   
5. Wait for the scan to complete.
   
6. You will see ticks next to the information Disk Cleanup recommends you need to clear. Click OK to substantiate.
   
7. Click Delete information once more.
   

Restart your pc as soon as the cleanup is completed and you need to have fewer registry information clogging up the system. 

Method 4: Run Startup Repair

Startup Repair is an alternative choice constructed into Windows Recovery atmosphere that may assist diagnose and troubleshoot issues with the system, together with damaged registry information. Here’s how to entry it:

1. Press the shortcut mixture Win+I to open the Settings app. With ‘System’ chosen within the left pane, scroll down and choose Recovery.
   
2. Next to Advanced startup, click on on Restart now.
   
3. The pc will now restart and boot into Windows Recovery Environment. Click on Troubleshoot to start.
   
4. Click on Advanced choices.
   
5. Click on Startup restore.
   
6. Windows will now run startup restore, troubleshoot issues, and apply options. 

If you get the Srttrail.txt error together with the message “Startup couldn’t repair your PC”, consult with our information on how to repair the Srttrail.txt error. 

Method 5: Do a System Restore

If damaged registry gadgets are impacting your skill to make use of Windows, you might have to resort to a system restore and roll back the settings to some extent up to now once they have been useful. Here’s how to take action:

1. Press Start, sort “create a restore point”, and click on on Create a restore level.
   
2. Click on System Restore.
   
3. Now, with Recommended restore choice chosen, click on on Next.
   
4. Otherwise, if you wish to select a distinct restore level, choose Choose a distinct restore level and click on on Next.
   
5. Check the field next to Show more restore factors.
   
6. Now select the occasion earlier than which you need the system to revive. Then click on Next.
   
   (Note: You can click on on “Scan for affected changes” to examine the software program that will likely be eliminated by system restore. Once the system is restored, you’ll have to reinstall these.)
7. Finally, click on on Finish to start system restoration.
   

Any damaged gadgets that will have been launched after this date or occasion will likely be faraway from the registry. 

Method 6: Use a Third-Party App (CCleaner)

Registry clear instruments similar to CCleaner, Restoro, and Wise Registry Cleaner have acquired a variety of flak up to now, particularly from Microsoft which says that it doesn’t assist using registry cleansing utilities. But if the native instruments don’t work, these might be relied upon, for essentially the most part, as long as you’re cautious. 

Because the potential for deleting or altering the registry information improperly is sort of excessive, it is strongly recommended that you simply back up the Registry manually earlier than beginning out. But since most of those third-party registry cleaners already immediate you to do the identical, we will transfer on to the app itself. For our instance, we’re using CCleaner, however the choices are roughly the identical for many such purposes.

Download: CCleaner

1. Go to the above hyperlink and click on on Download.
   
2. Install CCleaner by following the on-screen prompts.
   
3. Then open the appliance and go to the Registry tab.
   
4. Then choose the gadgets you need to scan (best to go away all of them chosen) and click on on Scan for Issues.
   
5. Wait for the scan full after which click on on Review chosen Issues.
   
6. Before making any modifications, CCleaner will immediate you for registry backup. Clean Yes.
   
7. Pick a location to save lots of the registry backup and click on on Save.
   
8. For each registry problem, you’re going to get a pop-up Window that may will let you overview it beforehand. To repair the problem, click on on Fix Issue.
   
9. To repair all points directly, click on on Fix All Selected Issues.
   
10. Once the problems are fastened, restart your PC. 

Method 7: Restore a Registry backup

If you might have a registry backup, you may all the time restore the registry settings with it. But this methodology works provided that you have already got a registry backup in place. To be taught more about making a registry backup, take a look at the ultimate few sections of the article.

Here’s how one can restore your system with a registry backup:

1. Press Start, sort “Registry editor” and open it.
   
2. Click on File.
   
3. Select Import.
   
4. Browse for the registry backup file (one which ends with .reg), choose it, and click on on Open.
   
5. Wait for the registry to be restored. 

Method 8: Reset your PC

If the aforementioned options don’t work, it’s potential that the registry gadgets have been dangerous for a very long time and can’t be simply fastened. In such instances, it helps to reset your PC and restore Windows to its default settings. Here’s how to take action:

1. Press Start and click on on the ability button.
   
2. Then whereas holding down the Shift button, click on on Restart.
   
3. This will lead you to the Windows Recovery atmosphere. From right here, choose Troubleshoot.
   
4. Then click on on Reset this PC.
   
5. Choose both to maintain your information or take away every thing.
   
6. Then observe the on-screen prompts to proceed resetting the PC. 

Method 9: Reinstall Windows

When all else fails, reinstallation can really feel like a defeat. But reinstallation will offer you a clear copy of Windows to begin afresh and take higher care of the registry gadgets this time round. You would require a bootable USB for this to work. 

1. Plug within the USB and restart your system within the Windows Recovery Environment (as proven within the earlier methodology). Select Troubleshoot.
   
2. Click on Advanced choices.
   
3. Select UEFI Firmware Settings.
   
4. Click on Restart.
   
5. Select Boot Device choices by urgent the corresponding key.
   
6. Select your USB device with the arrow keys. Then press Enter.
   
7. Once the Windows Setup begins, click on Next.
   
8. Now observe the on-screen prompts to reinstall Windows. 

Method 10: Check if Registry Editor is allowed within the Group Policy Editor 

Note: This methodology applies solely to Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions of Windows 11. To get the Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Home, consult with our information on How to Enable Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Home.

If you’re not capable of entry Registry Editor, you’ll have to take the help of the Group Policy Editor. 

Here’s how to examine whether or not the Registry Editor is allowed by way of the Group Policy Editor. 

1. Press Start, sort gpedit and open Edit Group Policy.
   
2. In the left pane, broaden User Configuration, then Administrative Templates, after which click on on System.
   
3. On the best, discover Prevent entry to registry enhancing instruments and double-click on it. 
   
4. Now, be certain both the “Not configured” or “Disabled” choice is chosen.
   
5. Then click on OK.
   
6. Restart your PC to take impact and your Registry Editor will likely be enabled. 

Maintaining Registry Backups 

Once your system is back to hurry, it is very important make sure that your PC begins sustaining registry backups if it isn’t already the case. Creating registry backups every so often ensures that you’ve got a previous snapshot to revert to in case the registry and its gadgets go dangerous once more sooner or later. Here’s how to back up the registry:

1. Create a backup of the Registry

Firstly, let’s take a look at how one can create a backup of the registry your self.

1. Press Start, sort registry editor, and open the Registry Editor.
   
2. Click on File.
   
3. Select Export.
   
4. Give your backup a reputation and put it aside someplace protected (similar to a USB or an exterior exhausting drive).
   
5. Then click on Save.

2. Enabling Registry Automatic Backup (and the way to revive  the Registry with it)

In earlier variations (model 1803 and earlier), Windows used to create a secret backup mechanically that could possibly be accessed if one have been so inclined. However, that has since been discontinued. Nevertheless, with a number of tweaks, you may allow it your self and entry it later in case issues go south once more. 

Firstly, right here’s how one can allow registry automated backup of registry gadgets:

1. Open the Registry Editor (as proven earlier). Then go to the next path: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSession ManagerConfiguration Manager
   Alternatively, copy the above and paste it within the Registry Editor’s deal with bar, and hit Enter.
   
2. Now, right-click on the Configuration Manager folder on the left, choose New, after which click on on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   
3. Name the newly created registry key EnablePeriodicBackup.
   
4. Double-click on it and alter the worth to 1. Click OK.
   
5. Restart your system for modifications to take impact. Once booted up, go to the next deal with and examine whether it is populated with information: C:WindowsSystem32configRegback
   In the start, you may even see that the information throughout the folder are all ‘0 KB’ in measurement.
   
   But don’t fear about it. This will likely be up to date at any time when Automatic Maintenance takes place, which is about as soon as each 10 days.

If you need the registry to be backup up proper now, you’ll have to take the assistance of ‘Task Scheduler’. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Press Start, seek for process scheduler, and hit Enter.
   
2. In the left pane, broaden Task Scheduler Library.
   
3. Then Microsoft.
   
4. Expand Windows.
   
5. Then choose Registry.
   
6. You ought to see a “RegIdleBackup” file on the best.
   
7. Right-click on it and choose Run.
   
8. Now should you return to the ‘RegBack’ folder, you need to see that the scale of the information has been up to date.
   

Let us now see how this backup can be utilized to revive order to your damaged registry gadgets. 

1. Press Start and click on on the ability button.
   
2. Then maintain down the “Shift” key and click on on Restart.
   
3. This will open up the Windows Recovery atmosphere. Here, click on on Troubleshoot.
   
4. Select Advanced choices.
   
5. Click on Command Prompt.
   

Here, we will likely be typing the drive letter the place Windows is put in. The default drive letter for Windows is C. However, this could possibly be completely different for some particularly when carried out by way of the command immediate within the Windows Recovery atmosphere. The recovery mode doesn’t all the time present the default drive (C:) because the one the place Windows is put in.

1. To examine if that’s the case, sort C:, press Enter, after which sort dir and hit Enter to see what’s inside that drive. If you discover that it has folders like ‘Program Files’, ‘Windows’, and so on., then you’re on the best path.
   
2. If not, be certain to check out a number of completely different letters, adopted by the dir command. In our case, it was the default letter C: itself.
3. Once the best drive is chosen, sort the next command: cd C:Windowssystem32
   
4. Hit Enter. Then sort the next command: mkdir configBackup
   
5. This command is to create a backup folder the place information from the ‘config’ folder might be quickly backed up. Hit Enter. Then sort the next: copy config configBackup
   
6. Hit Enter. This will transfer the information from the non permanent folder to the ‘configbackup’ folder.
   
7. Once you see that the information are copied, sort the next command: cd configRegback
   
   Hit Enter. We have now moved the trail to the key Registry backup folder.
8. Type the next to examine the contents and the scale of every file: dir
   
9. Hit Enter. Take notice of the names of the information right here.
   
10. Now sort the title of the file and hit enter one after the other for every file, as such: copy /y software program ..
    
11. Hit Enter.
    
12. Now sort the next: copy /y system ..
    
13. Hit Enter.
    
14. Similarly, accomplish that for all of the information highlighted earlier. Once carried out, shut the Command Prompt and restart Windows. This ought to restore your registry information with those which are mechanically backed up.

So these have been a number of methods to repair damaged registry gadgets. We hope you have been capable of finding an answer that labored and now know the way to wash the registry and create backups in case issues go unsuitable sooner or later.