You may have heard that you shouldn’t mess with the registry, but there are times when you need to clean the Windows registry. Over time, your registry collects broken, outdated, and even missing registry keys that hurt your PC’s performance. You may even get the occasional error message. Between built-in and third-party tools, fix any issues the registry is causing.
Causes of Registry Errors
If you’re not experiencing any issues, you may not think cleaning the registry is important. But as you install and uninstall apps and hardware, new registry entries are created. This includes Windows updates. However, they’re not always cleanly removed when you uninstall apps and hardware or make other system changes.
This leaves your PC looking for the hardware and apps that go with those keys. The more that builds up, the more likely you are to experience issues. Cleaning your registry every few months helps prevent this.
Back Up Your Registry
Before you perform a registry cleanup, it’s a good idea to back up your registry, just in case something goes wrong. While the methods on this list are usually safe, it’s better to be cautious, especially if you opt for the manual method.
Press Win + R and type regedit to open Registry Editor, or use any of these methods to open it. Select File -> Export.
Select a location and name for your file. Also, select All for your export range to back up the entire registry. If you’re changing a specific branch, just make a backup of that branch.
It’s a good idea to store your backup on a flash drive or external hard drive, just in case something goes wrong during the cleanup.
If you need to restore the backup, open Registry Editor again, and select Import from the File menu. Select your file, and you’re done.
1. Use Disk Cleanup
The simplest way to clean the Windows registry is to use the built-in Disk Cleanup utility, which is also great for cleaning excess files from your hard drive. It’s not for the registry, but it can finish removing leftovers from apps and drivers. When it removes these files, the corresponding registry entries are often deleted too.
Open Start, type disk cleanup, and select the Disk Cleanup result.
After the tool runs a scan, click Clean Up System Files. You’ll get some additional options after the tool runs a second time.
Check any options you want. You can actually check them all. Just make sure you don’t have anything in your Recycle Bin that you want to keep. Press OK to clean your system.
2. Using DISM
DISM, which stands for Deployment Image Servicing and Management, is a built-in Windows tool used for repairing update and system errors. It can also help repair issues related to broken registry entries. While it’s not a full registry cleaner, it can improve the health of your registry.
Open Start and type cmd. Choose Run as administrator under Command Prompt.
Enter the following at the prompt:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
The scan finds and cleans up errors. These won’t all be related to your registry. This can help your PC run better by fixing issues you didn’t even know you had.
3. Clean the Windows Registry Manually
If you don’t mind digging deep into the registry, clean the registry manually without using any other tools. When using this method, always have a backup in place first.
Press Win + R and type regedit to open Registry Editor. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software. Look for any software/apps you’ve uninstalled. If you see a folder for the software, right-click it, and select Delete.
Once you’re finished, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> Software. Repeat the process of deleting software folders of software you’ve already uninstalled.
4. Use CCleaner
CCleaner has been a popular PC cleaner for years. From deleting cookies and temporary files to helping manage startup options, it does a little bit of everything, such as helping you clean the Windows registry. It can also make a backup of your registry before cleaning it, which is a good idea.
Open CCleaner, select Registry, then select Scan for Issues. Select Review selected Issues, choose Yes to back up the registry, and either delete individual items or all items.
While premium options are available, the free version is all you need. You can run the tool by right-clicking on your Recycle Bin or opening it through the Start menu.
5. Clean With Wise Registry Cleaner
Wise Registry Cleaner is a free, lightweight tool to clean the Windows registry. Simply select Registry Cleaner, and choose Scan. You’ll be prompted to back up the registry the first time.
A premium version is available, but the free version handles almost everything you need. The premium version does offer scheduled cleaning. If you stick with the free version, make a note to use it once every few months.
6. Use Auslogics Registry Cleaner
Auslogics Registry Cleaner has a long history of helping users clean the Windows registry. The free version provides basic scanning, which is often enough for most users. However, you can upgrade to the premium version for notifications and deeper scans and cleaning. Select Scan Now at the bottom to start scanning for errors.
You get to review all entries before deleting anything, giving you full control. However, the tool will only pick safe entries to delete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are registry cleaners safe to use?
Overall, registry cleaners are safe but only use reputable cleaners. Some are just malware in disguise or promise to speed up your PC, only to slow it down, just like phone cleaner/booster apps.
If you’re not sure if a registry cleaning tool is safe, scan the URL and app download URL through VirusTotal. You can also use your favorite search engine to search for “is cleanername safe” to see how other users feel about it.
When should I clean my registry?
Most users don’t need to clean their registry often. In fact, you may never need to clean it outside of using Disk Cleanup every month or two.
If you tend to install/uninstall apps often, or your system is getting progressively sluggish, it’s a good idea to clean your registry after every two or three apps you install and remove.
For instance, if I’m testing apps for Make Tech Easier, I’ll clean my registry after going through 8 to 10 apps in a session. Then, I don’t clean it again until I’ve tested another batch.
Is it safe to delete registry keys if they include the name of an app I've uninstalled?
Usually, it is safe to do this. However, only delete registry keys if you’re certain they’re not tied to anything else on your PC. For instance, a file extension that’s associated with an app you’ve removed may also be tied to an important Windows system app or process. Overall, if you’re not certain, don’t remove an entry. It takes a lot of excess in your registry to start slowing down your computer.
Are there other ways to optimize my registry beyond cleaning it?
Absolutely. Registry hacks give you more control over your registry’s function along with, making changes to your Windows experience. For instance, you can add your own options to the context menu. Try out these useful Windows registry hacks to see what you can accomplish.
All images and screenshots by Crystal Crowder.
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