The Windows 10 registry offers users several tricks and settings to improve their user experience – here’s what they are: The registry system of Windows 10 is the database that lets you store and store all information relating to the operating system. From hardware device drivers to the latest apps installed and programs used, including preferred configurations. During the operation and use of the operating system, the registry is continuously consulted and updated.
Not everyone knows that it is possible to access this registry and change some of Windows 10 to improve your user experience. Access to the registry and the changes that can be made to it allow you to solve the most common problems and malfunctions of Windows 10, but at the same time, you have to be very careful: by changing the settings in the wrong way, you could damage your PC. So here’s how to access the Windows 10 registry and the best tricks to exploit its potential.
Registry: What It Is And How It Is Accessed
Accessing the registry requires special attention from users, as Microsoft itself points out in technical support to access the editor. This is because the registry is a database that contains all the information and configurations needed to make your operating system work. Getting a setting wrong could mean having to reinstall Windows 10 on your PC, resulting in the loss of all data on the device. Accessing the registry is simple.
Users can type the text “Regedit” into the search box on the Taskbar and select the Registry desktop app from the results. Alternatively, after clicking the right mouse button on the Start menu, select the Run item, type Regedit, and press Ok, and the registry editor screen will open.
Before you start discovering the registry secrets and start experimenting with them, the advice is to back up all data on the PC. Once this is done, you are ready to try the best tricks and enjoy the entire user experience.
How To Switch Windows By Clicking On The Taskbar
When you are using your PC, and you have two or more windows of a single program open, you can easily switch between them by clicking on the icon in the system tray or Taskbar and selecting with another click the window you want to bring to the fore. To save a step, you can edit the registry so that clicking on the icon in the Taskbar directly opens the last window used, thanks to the “Last Active Click” function. You need to open the registry editor and enter the code in the navigation bar to do this.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ Advanced. On the page, right-click the Advanced folder, select New> 32-bit DWORD Value and rename the Last Active Click entry. Double click on the new folder entry, change the Value data from 0 to 1, and press Ok. After rebooting the system, the change will take effect. To disable the function, repeat the path and set the Value data to 0.
How To Customize Apps In The Desktop Drop-Down Menu
Using the registry, you can change the apps that appear in the drop-down menu of the desktop to customize it with the most used ones. To add shortcuts to your favorite apps in the menu, you have to type the code in the registry editor. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT \ Directory \ Background \ shell
In the screen that opens, right-click and create a new key, renaming it with the application’s name you want to add to the menu. It would help to make the command key by right-clicking the newly created key and creating a subkey renamed command. The entire path to access the application must be copied within the string, and after restarting the PC, the desktop drop-down menu will be updated.
How To Remove Folders From This PC That You Don’t Use
Often on Windows 10, there are pre-configured folders that users will hardly use to store their files. Opening This PC, you may find folders like “3D Objects” or “Pictures. ” Thanks to the registry, you can remove these folders from File Explorer by typing the code in the editor : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ MyComputer \ NameSpace.
If you want to remove the 3D Objects folder, look for the subfolder in the box on the left of the screen that opens {0DB7E03F-FC29-4DC6-9020-FF41B59E513A} and right-click, selecting the Delete folder from the pop-up menu. For those who use Windows 10 32-bit, the procedure is finished, while for those who use a 64-bit operating system, you have to proceed with a further step, typing the code in the editor.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Wow6432Node \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ MyComputer \ NameSpace and deleting its subfolder. Then, when the PC is restarted, the changes will take effect.
How To Delete The Lock Screen
The Windows 10 lock screen might be considered inconvenient by users because it delays restarting the PC. To get rid of it, you need to open the registry editor and type in the code. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Personalization. In the folder, right-click and create a new 32-bit DWORD value, rename it No Lock Screen, and then open with a double click and under Value data set 1. Restart the PC to try the latest modification.
How To Disable Cortana
Cortana is Microsoft’s virtual assistant, and not all Windows 10 users appreciate its presence. Using Registry Editor, you can disable the Narrator by typing the code. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows. Check if the Windows Search folder exists.
If not, you can create it by right-clicking on the Microsoft folder, then on a new key and renaming it. After clicking on the WindowsSearch folder, create a new 32-bit DWORD value and rename it AllowCortana. Finally, double-click the value and set the Value data entry to 0.
Also Read: Windows 11: How To Update Your PC For Free