Registry: Customize Windows 10

The registry in Windows keeps track of many program specific settings that you make changes to. In some way it is where the state of many things gets documented

You can change settings either through the regular Windows 10 GUI, or in the registry. Always be careful when editing within the registry itself.

To change settings through the registry you can either use "regedit.exe", use .reg-files or by using PowerShell. PowerShell gives you the ability to browse and edit like any other file structure.

 

Registry Editor (regedit.exe)

Regedit.exe takes you to a registry browser, that shows you what looks like folders and files. The top level of the registry contain HKEY_CURRENT_USER for example which is a "hive". The structure with folders under the hives are keys and subkeys respectively. The things looking like files are the values that have names and types.

 

Using .reg-files

The .reg-files use a simple syntax, they will add the "folders" that doesn't already exist and then they add the key with the desired value.

 

Create a notepad .txt file, enter code and rename it to .reg afterwards. You get a clickable and shareable file. 

 

 

Below is an example on how to disable Bing search in your Windows 10 start menu. Syntax looks like this:

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

 

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]

"DisableSearchBoxSuggestions"=dword:00000001 

 

The first part is what version of regedit your OS runs, then a necessary blank line, followed by an entry (hive, key, subkeys). It is possible to stack multiple edits in one file.

Another tweak I use to take me to the login page right away is the following:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization]

"NoLockScreen"=dword:00000001 

 

To show seconds in the clock on Windows 10 I use this tweak:

 

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]

"ShowSecondsInSystemClock"=dword:00000001

Editing the registry with PowerShell

Using PowerShell to edit the registry is shown in this blog post I made earlier. The essential cmdlet that you work with is New-ItemProperty  

 

Followed by various parameters:

-path, where in the registry

-name the key/folder

-PropertyType whether it is a string or dword for example

-Value if there is text or perhaps a 1

Last but not least, in order for most things to take effect, you need to restart your computer.