How to Enable the Registry Editor (Regedit) if Disabled

• When expanded, this option is called Virus & threat protection .

• On some versions of Windows Defender, click the Home tab instead as there is no Advanced Scan section.

• If this scan doesn't find anything, repeat the scan with "Windows Defender Offline scan" checked instead of "Full scan" checked.

• You may need to restart your computer before you can access Registry Editor after the scan.

Right-click

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Command Prompt.

• If your trackpad doesn't have the right mouse button, use two fingers to tap the trackpad instead.

• If you aren't an administrator on this computer, you won't be able to complete this method.

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• If Registry Editor still won't open, you may be able to use a script to force it to open.

Open Start

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.

• This method will only work if you are an administrator on this PC.

• On some versions of Windows it may read Edit group policy instead.

• Skip this step if User Configuration is already expanded.
• If you don't see this option, first double-click the Local Computer Policy item at the top of the sidebar.

• You may have to scroll down to find it.

Option Explicit
Dim WSHShell, n, MyBox, p, t, mustboot, errnum, vers
Dim enab, disab, jobfunc, itemtype
Set WSHShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
p = "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\"
p = p & "DisableRegistryTools"
itemtype = "REG_DWORD"
mustboot = "Log off and back on, or restart your pc to" & vbCR & "effect the changes"
enab = "ENABLED"
disab = "DISABLED"
jobfunc = "Registry Editing Tools are now "
t = "Confirmation"
Err.Clear
On Error Resume Next
n = WSHShell.RegRead (p)
On Error Goto 0
errnum = Err.Number
if errnum <> 0 then
WSHShell.RegWrite p, 0, itemtype
End If
If n = 0 Then
n = 1
WSHShell.RegWrite p, n, itemtype
Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & disab & vbCR & mustboot, 4096, t)
ElseIf n = 1 then
n = 0
WSHShell.RegWrite p, n, itemtype
Mybox = MsgBox(jobfunc & enab & vbCR & mustboot, 4096, t)
End If

• This script will switch the registry editor's disabled/enabled setting. Do not run it a second time, or the registry editor will be disabled again.