The 8 Best Registry Hacks for Windows 11 to Improve Your Experience
Windows 11 offers tons of customization options. you may change the feel and look of your desktop from the Personalization tab. This includes changing themes, background color, fonts, start menu customization, and more. However, you can do much more if you know your way around the Windows Registry Editor.
In this guide, we show you the best registry hacks for Windows 11 that will allow everything from restoring the original right-click context menu to disabling the lock screen completely in your Windows system.
How to Open the Registry Editor
There are many ways toopen the Registry Editor in Windows 11. But the easiest one is using the Run command. To open the Registry Editor using the Run dialog:
Note that incorrect modification to your system registry entries can cause system malfunction. Make sure tocreate a system restore pointorenable automatic registry backupsto revive your system if something goes wrong.
1. Restore the Classic Right-Click Menu
One of the major changes in Windows 11 was a new right-click context menu. While the new menu is minimal and modern, some are still in love with the classic right-click context menu from Windows 10.
Windows 11 hasn’t completely removed the classic right-click context menu. Instead, it is hidden under the Show more options given in the new menu. However, if you want torestore the old right-click context menu in Windows 11, you could do so via a registry tweak.
2. Disable the Windows 11 Lock Screen
The lock screen in Windows 11 serves two purposes. First, it adds an extra layer of security and shows an image with the date and time to make your desktop look good when idle.
However, if you mind the extra step required to reach the password screen after restart, you can disable the lock screen in Windows 11. This, again, requires a registry tweak.
To disable Windows 11 locks screen:
To see the changes, restart your PC, and it will skip the lock screen and show the password screen.
3. Enable the Windows Photo Viewer in Windows 11
Microsoft replaced the classic Photo Viewer app with the new Photos app. However, if you don’t like the new Photos app, you could restore the classic Photo Viewer app in Windows 11 using the Registry Editor.
To restore the Photo Viewer app in Windows 11:
The script will run and execute the included commands in the file in the given order. These commands will make necessary modifications to your Registry Editor and enable the Photo Viewer app.
You can search for the app in the Windows search bar or right-click on an image and select Open With > Photo Viewer.
4. Add Apps to the Context Menu
By default, the context menu in Windows 11 features a limited set of options. If you open the context menu and go to New, you can find the option to quickly access a few apps like Notepad and Word. But what if you want to add another app to the context menu?
you’re able to use a registry tweak to add your preferred app to the right-click context menu for quick access. Follow this guide toadd apps to the right-click context menu in Windows 11.
5. Disable Bing Web Searches in Windows 11
Microsoft has integrated its web search engine, Bing, with the Windows search bar. While it may look like a nifty option offering access to web searches directly from the desktop, it is unnecessarily intrusive and unhelpful for many.
If you like to restrict the Windows search bar to find local results, you candisable the Bing search from the search bar. You will need to tweak a registry entry associated with File Explorer to get rid of Bing web search results in Windows 11 search.
6. Move the Taskbar Position
By default, you can change the Taskbar alignment in Windows 11 to Left and Center. However, you cannot move the taskbar to any other position, at least not via the Settings.
Fortunately, a little tweak to the right registry entry can help you move the taskbar to the top, left, right and bottom.
To change the taskbar position:
To restart Windows Explorer, pressWin + Xand click onTask Manager.Here, right-click onWindows Explorerand selectRestart. The taskbar will change its position as Windows Explorer restarts.
Additionally, you could alsochange your taskbar sizeusing the registry editor.
7. Enable Verbose Status Messages During Startup and Shutdown
A verbose status message appears during start-up and shutdown to help you understand the background system process. Some common verbose status messages you may have seen include “preparing your desktop,” “applying computer settings,” etc. It is useful to troubleshoot the system for slow start-up and shutdown issues.
To enable the verbose status messages:
The next time you restart your PC, it will show the current status of your system so that you know what process is taking all the time.
8. Stop Automatic Updates in Windows 11
Windows 11 offers a few ways to delay feature updates on your computer. For example, you’re able to pause the updates for up to 5 weeks or set up a metered connection to prevent Windows from downloading updates automatically.
Additionally, you can alsodefer updates using the Registry Editor in Windows 11. With this, you don’t have to set up a metered connection or use the pause update feature frequently.
Customize Windows 11 With These Registry Hacks
you could personalize your Windows 11 PC beyond what’s allowed by Microsoft using the Registry Editor. These little registry tweaks offer access to hidden settings that you can’t access otherwise from the Settings panel.
That said, it is necessary to exercise extreme caution when modifying your registry entries. If you end up breaking your system, resetting the Windows Registry is a painful process.
Learn how to reset the registry to default in Windows 10, along with other options for restoring and preventing errors.
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