Windows 10: Change Regedit "*.reg" default from Merge to Edit

After upgrading to Win10, the default action for *.reg moved to "Merge" (in Win8 I had set it to "Edit", but don't recall how).

What's the trick? If I associate *.reg with Notepad, I totally lose the "merge" capability in the context menu, so that's not the answer...

I want both Merge/Edit to appear in the context menu, but Edit in bold (default action).

Is there a trade-off in doing this?

:)

 

Change the default action for .reg files

In Windows 10 when you right click on a ".reg" (registry) file the default action is "Merge" (in bold).

I would like to set "Edit" as the default action because in my opinion I brelieve that it's more safe.

In Windows XP I've used with success these keys:

1) set "Edit" as the default action

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell]

""="edit"

2) restore "Merge" as the default action

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell]

@=""

but I think that this method doesn't work in Windows 10.

Some help?

 

Change the default action for .reg files

Sounds like a reasonable thing to do. Even though it warns you twice before it merges the changes, it can't hurt to set the default to be Notepad instead.

One way to accomplish this is shown below, but in testing I discovered that this takes away the merge option from the context menu. This means that if you want to actually import a reg file after doing this, you would have to open Registry Editor and choose
File > Import to do it.

1) Settings > Apps > Default Apps

2) Click Choose defaults by file type

3) Scroll down to the .reg entry and click it to change the default to Notepad

 

Change the default action for .reg files

Do you have tested my two keys in Win 10 Keith?

Contrary to XP I don't know well Win 10 registry behavior so I'm wondering this ... If I merge them to the registry do the change remains limited to
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\regfile\shell] subkey or it affects other registry keys?

Thanks for the reply Shawn, I prefer to modify the contextual menu order not to change the default app for .reg files.