How to clean Windows registry

1. Introduction
2. Steps to clean the Windows registry
3. Read also

Introduction

The Windows Registry is a repository for a massive collection of details on your computer - where programs are stored, help programs (called DLLs) shared among your various applications, lists of all your Start Menu shortcuts. And that's just the beginning.

Virtually everything you do in Windows is saved in the registry. For example, the URL of this article probably has an entry now, somewhere. The paths to the last dozen images or documents that you have opened are also there, as are the details of the programs you have installed or uninstalled.

Here's the problem: If you open the registry, you'll find it as cluttered as a teenager's room. This is because Windows does not clean effectively. It constantly creates new entries, but rarely, if ever, removes old entries after they are no longer needed.

This problem is compounded by the fact that applications are generally too inept to uninstall all created registry entries. Too often, program updates and installers leave unnecessary pointers in the registry, so the registry becomes overloaded with unnecessary entries, slowing down your system.

In this article, we will see how to clean the Windows registry with CCleaner.

Read also: How to install Microsoft Safety Scanner

Steps to clean the Windows registry

1. Before you start cleaning, close all open programs, and open CCleaner if possible as an administrator.

2. Next, click the Registry icon. You can select the items you want to clean. We recommend you check everything.

3. Once you have selected the items, click the Scan for issues button.

4. CCleaner looking for wrong or obsolete keys throughout the registry. Wait for the end of the error search.

5. Once CCleaner completes the search, it displays the list of errors found. It is possible to uncheck some boxes to not correct all these errors.

6. Next, click the fix selected issues button to start fixing these errors.

7. A dialog box appears, offering you a backup of the keys. It is recommended to make the backup, because it allows to return to the first situation in case of crash of the cleaning operation. To do this, click the Yes button to save the old registry values.

8. Select the location where you will save the backup file. You can keep the default values. If you want to restore this backup, simply double click on the ".reg" file and click on the Yes button of the window that will appear.

9. Then, a dialog box appears allowing you to view each error found in the registry by CCleaner. You can examine each error in detail and decide to correct them one by one. However, it is much quicker to run the full registry fix and clean up the Windows registry by clicking the fix all selected errors button.

10. Next, click the OK button.

11. CCleaner will start cleaning the windows registry of Windows.

12. Then you will have a window showing you the repaired errors.

13. Click the Close button.

14. It is therefore recommended to repeat the process several times until CCleaner no longer detects an error in the register.

Here you are with a clean registry. You can now Clean the Files on your PC or if it's already done to speed up Windows start-up.

Read also

How to find your WiFi password

How to clean and recover disk space after an update on Windows 10