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This guide shows you how to back up and restore the registry for the following Windows versions: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1and10
If you're looking to fix a corrupt registry, go to the <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/fix-registry/">Fix registry guide</a>.
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<h2>Back up and restore the registry in Windows XP</h2>
To back up the registry on a Windows XP computer, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Start</li>
 	<li>Click Run</li>
 	<li>Type <code>regedit</code> in the search box and click OK to open the Registry Editor</li>
 	<li>On the left pane, click Computer to select it</li>
 	<li>From File, in the menu, click Export</li>
 	<li>In the Export Registry File window, type a filename for this backup</li>
 	<li>Then choose All under the Export range section and select a location on your system where you want to save the backup registry file, then click Save.
Add a meaningful name for the backup file to distinguish different backup files, if you have multiples ones.

You can save the file to Desktop.</li>
</ol>
The registry backup files are saved with this extension: <code>.reg</code>

To restore the registry in Windows XP, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Open the Registry Editor: type <code>regedit</code> at Run and click OK</li>
 	<li>Go to the File menu and click Import</li>
 	<li>At the Import Registry File window, browse to locate the backup file (on the Desktop, if you saved it there)</li>
 	<li>Select the file and click Open</li>
 	<li>Once the import process is complete, restart your computer and log in back on your Windows XP computer</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_5008" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_WXP.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-5008" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_WXP.png" alt="Windows XP regedit screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows XP regedit screen[/caption]
<h2>Back up and restore the registryin Windows Vista</h2>
To back up the Registry in Windows Vista, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Start</li>
 	<li>Type <code>regedit</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Click the regedit item from the search results list</li>
 	<li>Click Continue, if you're prompted by the UAC (User Account Control) warning message</li>
 	<li>Select Computer from the left side. Make sure it's selected.</li>
 	<li>Go to File and then click Export</li>
 	<li>At the Export Registry File, type a filename for the backup file and then choose All under the Export range section</li>
 	<li>Select a location where you want to save the backup file</li>
 	<li>Click Save</li>
</ol>
Backup files of the Registry are saved with this extension: <code>.reg</code>

To restore a previously created .reg file on a Windows Vista, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Open the Registry Editor: type <code>regedit</code> at the search box and click on the regedit item when it appears in the search results list</li>
 	<li>At File, click Import</li>
 	<li>At the Import Registry File screen, browse and select the backup <code>.reg</code> file that needs to be restored</li>
 	<li>Click Open</li>
 	<li>When the process is complete, restart your Windows Vista system</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_5007" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_WVista.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-5007" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_WVista.png" alt="Windows Vista regedit screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows Vista regedit screen[/caption]
<h2>Back up and restore the registry in Windows 7</h2>
To back up the Registry on a Windows 7 system, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Start</li>
 	<li>Type <code>regedit</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Click the regedit item appearing in the list</li>
 	<li>Click Continue, if you're prompted by User Account Control</li>
 	<li>Select Computer from the left side. Make sure it's selected.</li>
 	<li>Go to File and then Export</li>
 	<li>At the Export Registry File, type a name for the backup file</li>
 	<li>Choose All under the Export range section</li>
 	<li>Select a location where you want to save the backup file</li>
 	<li>Click Save</li>
</ol>
The backup files are saved with this extension: <code>.reg</code>

=To restore a previously created backup file of the Registry in Windows 7, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Open the Registry Editor: type <code>regedit</code> at the search box and click on the regedit item when it appears in the search results list</li>
 	<li>At File, click Import</li>
 	<li>At the Import Registry File screen, browse and select the backup .reg file to be restored from your Desktop or from where you saved it</li>
 	<li>Click Open</li>
 	<li>Once completed, restart the computer to login back on your Windows 7 computer</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_5006" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_W7.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-5006" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_W7.png" alt="Windows 7 regedit screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows 7 regedit screen[/caption]
<h2>Back up and restore the registry in Windows 8 or 8.1</h2>
To create a backup of the current Registry in a Windows 8 or 8.1 system, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Go to Search or press the <code>Windows</code> and <code>C</code> key to open the Charm Bar</li>
 	<li>Type <code>regedit</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Click regedit from the search results list</li>
 	<li>Click Yes, if you're prompted by User Account Control</li>
 	<li>Select Computer from the left side. Make sure it's selected before you proceed to the next step.</li>
 	<li>Go to File and then click on Export</li>
 	<li>At the Export Registry File, type a name for the backup file</li>
 	<li>Choose All under the Export range section</li>
 	<li>Select a location where you want to save the backup file</li>
 	<li>Click Save</li>
</ol>
Note: Any backup files of the Registry are saved with this extension: <code>.reg</code>

To restore the registry using a previously created .reg file on a Windows 8 or 8.10 system, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Open the Registry Editor: type <code>regedit</code> at the search box and click on the regedit item when it appears in the search results list.To open the Search Bar, press the <code>Windows</code> and <code>C</code> keys.</li>
 	<li>At File, click the Import option</li>
 	<li>At the Import Registry File screen, browse and select the backup file you want to restore</li>
 	<li>Click Open</li>
 	<li>Once the process is complete, restart your computer and log back in on your Windows 8/8.1 computer</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_5004" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_W8.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-5004" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/11/Regedit_W8.png" alt="Windows 8 regedit screen" width="800" height="600" /></a> Windows 8 regedit screen[/caption]
<h2>Back up and restore the registry in Windows10</h2>
To create a backup of the current Registry in a Windows 10 system, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Type <code>regedit</code> in the search box</li>
 	<li>Click regedit from the search results list</li>
 	<li>Click Yes, if you're prompted by User Account Control</li>
 	<li>Select Computer from the left side. Make sure it's selected before you proceed to the next step.</li>
 	<li>Go to File and then click on Export</li>
 	<li>At the Export Registry File, type a name for the backup file</li>
 	<li>Choose All under the Export range section</li>
 	<li>Select a location where you want to save the backup file</li>
 	<li>Click Save</li>
</ol>
Note: Any backup files of the Registry are saved with this extension: <code>.reg</code>