Registry is the location in a Windows system that contains all settings for applications, user interface and the Windows Operating System. The information about every setting is stored in what is called a ‘Registry Key’. You can boost the performance of your Windows system by modifying or deleting unnecessary Registry Keys.

To be on safe side, you should take a Registry backup which can be used restore the Registry to its previous state in case you delete a wrong value. Let’s take a look at top 3 Registry tweaks that can improve Windows performance.

Registry Errors: Causes and Solution

1. Speeding up Windows 7 taskbar

The Taskbar can be a very useful feature in Windows. When you move your Mouse over the Taskbar, the thumbnails of applications can take a while to load. You can reduce this delay by a simple Registry tweak.

1. Click on Start button
2. Type “regedit” in the search box on the Start menu
3. Hit Enter
4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced
5. Right click to create a DWORD
6. Name it “ExtendedUIHoverTime”
7. Double-click on “ExtendedUIHoverTime” and give it a Decimal value of “1”.
8. Click Ok to exit Registry
9. Restart your computer 
10. Hiding Homegroups in Windows Explorer’s Sidebar

The default location such as Homegroups which appear in Windows Explorer’s Sidebar is seldom used. Removing such default entries can clear up clutter and simplify navigation.  A small Registry edit can hide these default entries that show in the Windows Explorer Sidebar.

1. Click on Start button
2. Type “regedit” in the search box in the Start menu
3. Hit Enter
4. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES>ROOTCLSID{B4FB3F98-C1EA-428d-A78A-D1F5659CBA93}ShellFolder

You will be required to get permission before editing any entry in this registry key

5. In navigation pane, right-click “ShellFolder”
6. Click Permissions
7. Select the current user
8. Under Full control, check the box “Allow”
9. In the right hand pane, click “Attributes”
10. Change the value from b084010c to b094010c
11. Click Ok to exit Registry editor
12. Restart the computer
13. Customizing Windows Explorer’s “Open With” Menu

The Context menu is a good option to open a file where the extension of the file and the default program to be used is not defined in the system. If you have installed many programs in your Windows system, the “open with” menu becomes cluttered with many entries. Most of the time, you will notice there are unwanted program entries which are not used. In such cases, you can remove the unwanted program entries from the “Open with” menu by a simple Registry edit.

1. Click on Start button
2. Type “regedit” in the search box in the Start menu
3. Hit Enter
4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER Software Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Explorer FileExts
5. Here, you will see different file extensions registered on your Windows system
6. Go to the file extension you want to edit and click the white triangle to view sub folders
7. Select OpenWithList. Note the programs in the right pane
8. Right-click the value which you don’t want to see in the “openwith” menu
9. Select Delete.

Note: For example, you system has 5 programs registered to open a PDF file such as Adobe reader, Foxit Reader, Notepad, WinWord and NitroPDF. You can remove entries of Notepad and WinWord that cannot handle a PDF file.

Three reasons why you must clean Windows registry