How to backup (and restore) the Windows 11 registry?

I'm new to Windows 11 (I'm running 23H2, 22631.3447).

I'm thinking about downloading and installing Winaero Tweaker, a third-party customization tool that I think makes changes to the Windows 11 registry.

I would like to backup the Windows 11 registry before I install Winaero Tweaker, in case it makes registry changes that cause problems. How do I backup the registry? And how can I restore that registry in case something goes wrong?

I see a tutorial on how to enable automatic backup of system registry upon restart, but how do I perform a one-time backup of the registry?

classic35mm said:

but how do I perform a one-time backup of the registry?

Click to expand...

You open regedit.exe and right click "Computer" and choose: Export.
Save this as a .reg file.




To import this, if needed... just double click the previously exported .reg file

It depends on which hive you intend to backup, the registry isn't one hive, it consists of multiple which are usually part of the %systemroot%\System32\config directory. The easiest option is just do a complete image backup using something like Macrium or install that software in a test virtual machine.

x BlueRobot said:

The easiest option is just do a complete image backup using something like Macrium or install that software in a test virtual machine.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the input! How do you recommend I create a test virtual machine? (I consider myself a decent Windows user, but I'm not a power user, and I don't work in IT.)

Ghot said:

You open regedit.exe and right click "Computer" and choose: Export.
Save this as a .reg file.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your help. Does this method export all registry hives or just specific ones?

classic35mm said:

Does this method export all registry hives or just specific ones?

Click to expand...

The whole registry.
Just do exactly what @Ghot said.

classic35mm said:

Thank you for the input! How do you recommend I create a test virtual machine? (I consider myself a decent Windows user, but I'm not a power user, and I don't work in IT.)

Click to expand...

If you have windows 11 pro, you can use windows sandbox or hyper v to create a virtual machine.

If you dont have windows 11 pro, you can use the free vmware player or virtualbox to create a windows virtual machine and play around with the software. You would need to download a windows 11 iso from here to create a virtual machine. If you like tweaking and want to mess with stuff further in the future, try it in a virtual machine instead of your own. It is a great way to learn.


Having said that, winaero tweaker is pretty safe and has a backup function built into the program you can use under settings. So you can backup the changes that have not been made and then restore to the point before you changed anything.

You can also create a system restore point before installing the program or changing settings.


Or you can go with @Ghot Suggestion on post 2

classic35mm said:

Thanks for your help. Does this method export all registry hives or just specific ones?

Click to expand...

It exports whatever item you right click.
Computer does the whole registry.
You can also right click on a Hive, and a Key as well.

But like others have mentioned... 3rd party backup software is really the best option.
Anything that backs up Windows, backs up the entire registry as well.


I have this in a text file called: NEW Guy stuff.


Here's some other things that may help...

You can backup registry with attached bath script it will create a C:\Registry_Backups folder to backup registry hives but only way to restore these hives are from Recovery Environment using Copy command.

regbak

freeware from acelogix https://www.acelogix.com/downloads/regbak.exe

Just to add my 2 cents, If you are to use System Restore at any time and for whatever reason.
make Sure to exit or deactivate any security software or suite you have installed. Restore is
partial to this and will fail if not done.

classic35mm said:

How do I backup the registry? And how can I restore that registry in case something goes wrong?

Click to expand...

This link may be useful:

To restore the hives, boot into another os or winpe and run the regres.cmd

The one caveat with the reg export method is that it will only backup the hives which have been loaded into Regedit. It won't backup any hives which are loaded when required such as COMPONENTS, DRIVERS and SMI. Those three are all used by Windows Update to an extent.

Another free option is the Tweaking.com Registry Backup program, available at Bleeping Computer. I have been using that for years, as well as doing weekly System Restores and full Macrium system images. Someone said you can never have TOO MANY BACKUPS!

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil