

If your computer is turned off, crashes or dies without going through the normal shutdown routine, it could cause an issue in the future, but this is unlikely. Each time your computer shuts down, a copy of the registry is saved to system memory. The registry can also fragment when software is uninstalled, upgraded or updated. Registry cleaner software will state that your programs will be confused by the duplicate entries, slowing your machines performance, but that is not true. Duplicate keys are made when you reinstall, upgrade or update software on your machine, including the operating system.

Registry cleaner software will often claim these are an immediate issue, but in reality, they will just use up a few kilobytes of free space on your disk. Orphaned entries occur when you uninstall software and small fragments of registry entries are left behind. Some are worth worrying about, and others are not. One of the popular myths about cleaning the Registry is that it can provide a performance boost to your PC, but the truth is that doing so will have little – if any – tangible benefit.Īs such, we wouldn’t recommend using Registry cleaners – and we’d strongly advise against ever changing things manually.There are several common causes of registry errors. Change or delete the wrong value and your PC could suddenly stop working properly.Įven automatic Registry cleaners have been known to incorrectly identify and delete important Registry values, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Tampering with the Registry can have a serious effect on your PC. Find out more here.ĬCleaner, for example, has tools for cleaning your PC, including a Registry cleaner that’s widely popular. Want some more help with Windows? Our friendly tech team can help you with one-to-one support on a range of tech issues. Lots of programs and tools claim to be able to ‘clean’ your Registry for you, by looking for and removing any invalid keys and values. When you uninstall programs, some Registry values can be left behind.

Over time, installing programs, updating software and attaching new peripherals can all add to the Registry. The Registry is a system file that holds lots of vital information about your PC and how it works. The short answer is no - don't attempt to clean the Windows Registry. If your computer is playing up it's tempting to try out programs that promise to clean up your Registry.
