Need to restore your Windows registry? Received a .REG file with settings? Find out here how to import a registry (REG) file or restore a Windows registry backup.
First, Fry Your Morning Müesli
In a soup plate, beat an egg; then smash a banana on top, around and in between.
Now add as much Bircher muesli as seems appropriate plus a dollop of no-flavor, no-sweetener protein powder if affairs are too moist and liquid.
After a morning tea’s time of rest, treat this mass like pancake batter and fry over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Enjoy with yogurt and berries or agave syrup, or honey, or cinnamon, or…
Now that your vigor is restored for the day, we can, I fathom, turn to restoring a Windows registry backup:
How to Import a Registry (REG) File and Restore a Backup
Time needed: 5 minutes
To restore Windows registry backups using Registry Editor on Windows:
- Open Registry Editor.
- Select File | Import… from the menu.
- Now select the .REG file you want to import.
Only REG: To see only .REG files, select Registration Files (*.reg) as the file type under File name: in the Import Registry File dialog.
- Click Open.
Important: The data from the selected .REG file will be imported without further questions or a preview of what changes will be made; existing entries will be overwritten.
Preview registry changes: To see what values will be added or updated, you can open the .REG file in Notepad before importing: click on the .REG file with the right mouse button and select Edit from the context menu that appears.
Open REG Files in Notepad
To open a REG registry file in Notepad so you can check what it contains:
- Open the folder that contains the REG file you want to examine in Windows Explorer.
Windows keyboard shortcut: You can press Windows E to open Explorer. - Click on the REG file with the right mouse button.
- Select Show more options from the context menu if available.
- Now select Edit.
The file will have the following format:
[Registry key]
"Registry value name"=registry value dataThe registry value data can include the data type (e.g., dword:).
Import and Merge a Registry (REG) File in Windows
To quickly import Windows registry settings saved as REG without opening Registry Editor separately:
- Click on the .REG file you want to import with the right mouse button.
- Select Merge from the context menu that has appeared.
- Select Yes if User Account Control asks Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?.
- Now click Yes for the Registry Editor question Do you want to continue?.
Important: This will add and overwrite all entries found in the .reg file without further questions or preview. - Click OK.
(How to import registry files or restore Windows registry backups tested with Windows 11 Version 22H2 and Windows 10 Version 2004; updated February 2024)