Windows 10: Export and Import Registry Keys in Windows

How to: Export and Import Registry Keys in Windows

How to Export and Import Registry Keys in Windows


System configuration information is stored centrally in a hierarchical database called the registry. You can use Registry Editor to add and edit registry keys and values, restore the registry from a backup or to default values, and to import or export keys for reference or backup.

For more in-depth details about Registry Editor (regedit), see:

• Registry - Windows applications | Microsoft Docs
• Registry Editor | Microsoft Docs)
• Windows registry information for advanced users | Windows Suport

This tutorial will show you how to import and export registry keys using a .reg file for Registry Editor in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

*note You must be signed in as an administrator to import and export keys from the following registry hives (group of keys) below. The HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive only affects the current user, and does not require being an administrator.

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
• HKEY_USERS
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

CONTENTS:

• Option One: Export Registry Key in Registry Editor
• Option Two: Export Registry Key in Command Prompt
• Option Three: Import Registry Key using REG file
• Option Four: Import Registry Key in Registry Editor
• Option Five: Import Registry Key in Command Prompt

EXAMPLE: Registry Editor









OPTION ONE [/i] Export Registry Key in Registry Editor
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type regedit, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes to approve elevation.

3. In the left pane of Registry Editor, navigate to and select the key you want to export. (see screenshot below)

*note All subkeys of this selected key will also be included in the export.



4. Perform one of the following actions below to export the selected key to a .reg file. (see screenshots below)
A) Right click or press and hold on the key, and click/tap on Export.

OR

B) Click/tap on File (menu bar), and click/tap on Export.






5. Navigate to the location for where you want to save the export, type a name you want for the .reg file, and click/tap on Save. (see screenshot below)



6. When finished exporting registry keys, you can close Registry Editor if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Export Registry Key in Command Prompt
*note To see more usage details for the reg export command, see: reg export | Microsoft Docs
1. Open a elevated command prompt depending on the required rights of the key you want to export.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Reg export "full path of key" "full path to save .reg file name"

*note All subkeys of this key will also be included in the export.

Substitute full path of key in the command below with the actual full path of the key (ex:"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers") you want to export from Registry Editor.

Substitute full path to save .reg file name in the command below with the actual full path of the location you want to save the .reg file including the name you want for the .reg file with extension. For example: "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Printers.reg"

For example: Reg export "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers" "%UserProfile%\Desktop\Printers.reg"




3. You can now close the command prompt if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] Import Registry Key using REG file
*Warning When you import (merge) a .reg file, it will overwrite and replace the current key(s) and data value(s) in your registry with the contents of the .reg file.

It is highly recommend that you system restore if needed (ex: caused issue) afterwards.
1. Open File Explorer (Win+E), and navigate to the location of the .reg file you want to import.

2. Perform one of the following actions below to import (merge) the .reg file. (see screenshot below)
A) Double click/tap on the .reg file

OR

B) Right click or press and hold on the .reg file, and click/tap on Merge.




3. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes to approve elevation. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)



5. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)








OPTION FOUR [/i] Import Registry Key in Registry Editor
*Warning When you import (merge) a .reg file, it will overwrite and replace the current key(s) and data value(s) in your registry with the contents of the .reg file.

It is highly recommend that you system restore if needed (ex: caused issue) afterwards.
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type regedit, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

2. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes to approve elevation.

3. Click/tap on File (menu bar), and click/tap on Import. (see screenshot below)



4. Navigate to and select the .reg file you want to import, and click/tap on Open. (see screenshot below)



5. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



6. When finished importing .reg files, you can close Registry Editor if you like.





OPTION FIVE [/i] Export Registry Key in Command Prompt
*note To see more usage details for the reg import command, see: reg import | Microsoft Docs

*Warning When you import (merge) a .reg file, it will overwrite and replace the current key(s) and data value(s) in your registry with the contents of the .reg file.

It is highly recommend that you system restore if needed (ex: caused issue) afterwards.
1. Open a elevated command prompt depending on the required rights of the key(s) in the .reg file you want to import.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow Reg import "full path of .reg file name"

*note Substitute full path of .reg file name in the command below with the actual full path of the .reg file including its name and extension you want to import (merge) into your registry.

For example: Reg import "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Printers.reg"




3. You can now close the command prompt if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Change the Registry Editor Font in Windows 10
• How to Switch Between HKCU and HKLM Keys in Registry Editor in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Registry Editor Address Bar in Windows 10

:)

 

Import or merge registry key not working


Hi, here is my problem.

I exported a key (ieshims) to document folder. I made corrections using Notepad++ to some paths and saved it. I imported the key back and everything went fine.

The problem is that when I go back to look at my corrections in the registry, nothing is updated. The old key is shown.

The reason I exported/imported the key is that regedit doesn't allow me to make correction of a path on the left side of the key i.e. paths.

Would anyone tell me what could be my problem?

 

Import/Export Contacts


Hi,

Basically, I want to manually sync contacts back and forth, between my computer and my phone.

Going from computer to phone, the easiest way for me has been exporting/backing up the computer's .vcf file, moving it to my phone, delete my phones current contact list, and then importing the .vcf file from the computer, which instantly results in an complete, updated list.

However, going in the other direction is my problem.

If I try to do the same in reverse, trying to import the .vcf file into the computer contacts, it wants to do it one contact at a time, instead of the full list all at once.

I suppose they can be Imported/Exported thru gmail, but I would prefer doing it directly...phone contacts only, without importing gmail contacts

Thanks

 

problem exporting/importing registry keys

I am using Repetier-Host for 3D printing. Configs are stored in the registry. Some configs are lines of code that contain CR, LF characters. These entries are made by the program.





If I look at the entry using Modify, copy the entry, save it to a txt file and look at the file with a hex editor I see CR, LF after each line of code

M42 P4 S0 ; turn off BIG fan

M42 P5 S0 ; turn off red LEDs

M42 P6 S0 ; turn off green LEDs





when I export the repetier key, the export adds a CR to each line of code.





If I import the reg file, it creates extra entries instead of the original single entry because of the extra 0D added.

Therefore, I cannot backup my config and must recreate the whole thing.

I believe at some point in the past I tried to remove the extra 0D s but because of the CF, LF in the data it still would not import properly.

THIS has been a problem for a long time (as in b4 Windows 10) and so far no one has acknowledged it, or fixed it.

 

Bypass UAC prompt when importing Registry keys

Hi All,

I am trying to import a number of registry keys silently to HKCU hive using the following command line:

Regedit .exe /s "<path to the registry_key\regkey.reg"

I am getting the following UAC prompt which I am trying to by-pass:

any suggestions to import the registry keys silently?

 

How do I delete registry files?

type in regedit in the search box and press enter. Then from here on, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING UNLESS U KNOW WHAT UR DOING!! Go to Hkey_Local_Machine > Software > Then a list of program registry keys will pop up, delete anything that is uninstalled. Make sure u backup the keys unless something goes wrong. To backup, you do: Select a group of keys on the left pane > Right click > Export > name it "whatever.reg" > save it. To import the backup, click the reg file and click "merge"