You can configure the registry editor to create periodic backups. This article shows how to enable automatic registry backup in Windows.
Most advanced changes in Windows require you to edit the Registry. This is especially true for Home edition users. If you are wondering, Windows Home edition users don’t have access to the Group Policy Editor. As such, you have to manually edit the registry to adjust the same settings.
In addition to the manual registry edits, modifying general system settings, and installing or uninstalling applications, drivers, etc., also change the registry in one way or other other.
If you make any mistake in the Registry Editor, it can cause problems with Windows. In the worst-case scenario, you might not be able to boot into Windows. To ensure it never happens, you must always back up the registry before making changes.
Though manual backups are good, configuring automatic registry backups can help you in a pinch. The good news is that it is easy to enable automatic registry backup.
So, without further ado, let me show you how to turn on automatic backup in the registry in Windows.
The steps below work the same in Windows 10 and 11.
How to enable automatic registry backup
Ironically, we have to edit the registry to create a new value to enable automatic registry backup. This new value creates a new scheduled task to periodically back up the registry. It sounds convoluted, but it is pretty easy to do. Let me show you how.
Back up the registry before making changes. The backup helps in restoring the registry if something goes wrong.
- Open the Start menu.
- Search and open “Registry Editor.”
- Go to the following folder.
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Configuration Manager - Right-click on the “Configuration Manager” folder.
- Choose “New -> DWORD Value.”
- Use “EnablePeriodicBackup” as the name.
- Double-click the new value.
- Type “1” in the “Value Data” field.
- Press “Ok.”
- Close the Registry Editor.
- Reboot Windows.
- With that, you’ve enabled automatic backups of Registry Editor.
Steps with more details:
The first thing to do is create a relevant value in the Registry Editor. So, open the Registry Editor by searching for it in the Start menu or using the “regedit” Run command.
Next, go to the following folder. You can paste the path in the address bar and press Enter.
HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Configuration Manager
Right-click on the “Configuration Manager” folder and choose “New -> DWORD Value.” This action creates a blank DWORD value; name it “EnablePeriodicBackup.”
After creating the custom DWORD value, double-click on it. Type “1” in the “Value Data” field and press “Ok.” This action enables the automatic registry backup feature.
Finally, close the Registry Editor and reboot Windows.
Once the system is rebooted, the settings are applied, and Windows will back up the registry periodically.
The automatic registry backup files are saved to the C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack folder.
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That is all. It is that simple to enable automatic registry backup in Windows 10 and 11 operating systems.
I hope this simple and easy Windows how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.
