4 Best Ways to Fix Registry Editor Not Working on Windows 11

Quick Tips

• Run SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans to fix issues caused by damaged or missing system files on your PC.
• If you are using the Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition of Windows, ensure Registry Editor isn’t disabled in the Group Policy settings.
• Consider performing a system restore if issues with Registry Editor have started recently.

Fix 1: Run SFC and DISM Scan

Problems with the system files on your PC can cause Windows and its programs to malfunction. If that’s the case, running the SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scans will help.

Step 1: Right-click the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Step 2: In the console, paste the following command and press Enter.

sfc /scannow

Step 3: Run the following commands to execute the DISM scan.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Restart your PC after running the above commands and see if you can use Registry Editor.

Fix 2: Replace Broken Regedit.exe

If the Registry Editor executable file on your PC is damaged, you may have trouble accessing it. You can try replacing the broken Registry Editor file with a new one and see if that helps.

Step 1: Click the search icon on the taskbar, type in command prompt, and select Run as administrator.

Step 2: Run the following commands and press Enter after each:

takeown /f “C:\Windows\regedit.exe”
icacls “C:\Windows\regedit.exe” /grant “%username%”:F

Step 3: Press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer and navigate to C: > Windows.

Step 4: Rename the regedit.exe file to regeditOLD.exe and restart your computer.

Fix 3: Enable Registry Editor Using Group Policy Editor

Another reason why the Registry Editor may not open or work is if access is disabled from the Group Policy. To re-enable it, use these steps:

Note: The Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. So, this method will not work for you if you’re using the Windows Home edition.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog box. Type gpedit.msc in the Open field and press Enter.

Step 2: Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.

Step 3: Double-click the Prevent access to registry editing tools policy on your right.

Step 4: Select the Disabled or Not configured option from the following window. Then, hit Apply followed by OK.

Restart your PC after this, and the Registry Editor should work fine.

Fix 4: Perform System Restore

If nothing works, you can use System Restore to restore Windows to an earlier state before the issue first appeared. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Open the search menu, type in create a restore point, and select the first result that appears.

Step 2: Under the System Protection tab, click the System Restore button.

Step 3: Click Next.

Step 4: Select the restore point before the issue first appeared.

Step 5: Review the restore point details before hitting Finish.

Your PC will restart and revert to the specified restore point. After that, the Registry Editor should function normally.