The Windows Registry contains a goldmine of settings that can transform your Windows operating system. Editing registry entries allows you to make changes that you can’t otherwise make via the Control Panel.

From visual to performance-related tweaks, there are plenty of ways you can use the Registry Editor to improve and customize your Windows experience. Before beginning, of course, perform a backup of your registry and Windows.

Open Registry Editor

You’ll need to open the Registry Editor before you can perform any tweaks. You can either search for Registry Editor in the Start Menu or press Win + R and type regedit to open the Registry Editor. A UAC popup may ask your permission to launch the editor. Click Yes to continue.

1. Say Goodbye to the Lockscreen

If you’re not a fan of Windows Spotlight’s mesmerizing landscapes on your lockscreen, it could feel like it’s getting in your way. Even though Windows 10 offers several settings to modify your lockscreen, some people simply don’t care for it.

To disable the lockscreen, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows in your Registry Editor. Right-click on the Windows folder to create a new key and name it “Personalization”. Next, right-click on the new key and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it “NoLockScreen”. Once the entry has been created, double-click on it and change its Value data to 1.

Disable lockscreen windows 10

2. Lower Shutdown Times

If your Windows takes forever to shut down, it could be because Windows tries to close all running apps and processes before it shuts down. Some apps and processes, however, take longer than others, consequently slowing the computer’s shutdown process.

You can use the Registry Editor and tweak this behavior such that Windows will only wait a short while before killing the processes and shutting down.

To do this, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control. Look for WaitToKillServiceTimeout in the right pane and double-click on it. Change the value to 1000 and click OK. The lower you set the value, the lesser it will wait to kill services and make the shutdown process quicker.

faster shutdown registry tweak

Try shutting the computer down after you’ve performed this tweak and see if you notice a difference.

3. Beautify Windows With the Dark Theme

Whether it’s for the aesthetic appeal or just better readability, some people like their themes dark. Unfortunately for them, Windows defaults to a light theme. However, you can easily fix this with a registry tweak.

Related: How to Change the Look and Feel of Your Windows 10 Desktop

To do this, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize. Look for AppsUseLightTheme in the right pane and double-click on it. Change the Value data to 0 from 1 and press OK.

Windows dark theme registry tweak

Restart your computer to see if the dark theme has been applied.

4. Enable Verbose Mode

Verbose mode comes in handy when you’re trying to troubleshoot the Windows startup and shutdown process. It walks you through the specific steps the OS performs while it boots or shuts down.

It’s best to enable verbose mode only if you have sufficient technical knowledge, though. You could run into critical issues with your OS if things go wrong.

To enable verbose mode using the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System. Next, right-click on the System folder and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value. Give it the name VerboseStatus and double-click on it. Set the Value data to 1, click OK, and restart the computer.

verbose mode registry tweak

Your future boots and shutdowns will be more “verbose” now.

5. Ditch Taskbar Thumbnails for Quickly Switching Windows

Windows of the same program are grouped up by default in the Taskbar. To switch between Windows, you need to hover your pointer over a thumbnail.

windows thumbnails in taskbar

However, what if there was a way for you to select the last active window with a single click rather than waiting for the thumbnails to emerge? Registry Editor can help you do this.

To activate this feature, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Here, create a DWORD (32-bit) Value and name it LastActiveClick. Set its Value data to 1, and reboot or just log off and on. This should apply to the settings and you’ll now be able to switch between Windows much more easily.

6. Add Apps to the Desktop Context Menu

The default desktop context menu is scarcely populated. If there are some shortcuts you believe will add convenience to your Windows experience, you could bulk up the context menu by adding frequently used apps.

You can add apps to the context menu by adding some registry entries. Navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell. Add two new keys under the shell key. Create one key and name it Paint, and then create a key named command under the Paint key. If you’re adding a shortcut for a program other than Paint, assign a name accordingly.

Go to the command key and double-click on the entry named Default from the right-pane. Change its Value data to mspaint.exe. The value will be differ based on which app you’re adding to the menu. When you’re done, right-click on the desktop and you should see Paint (or your chosen app) listed in the context menu.

modifying context menu registry tweak

7. Make Your Taskbar Clock Display Seconds

The taskbar clock is set to display the hour and minutes by default. Plus, there’s no option to display the seconds in the taskbar clock directly.

However, you can display seconds in the taskbar clock by modifying the registry. Start by navigating to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Right-click on the Advanced key and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the entry ShowSecondsInSystemClock, double-click the entry, and set the Value data to 1. Click OK.

display seconds in taskbar clock

Log off and back on, and you should see your taskbar clock display the seconds.

8. Adjust the Windows Explorer Border Width

If you want to change the feel of all your windows, you could try changing their border width. To change the border width for all windows, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics.

change border width of windows registry tweak

Look for the key with the name BorderWidth and double-click on it. It’s set to -15 by default, but you can use a number between 0 to 50 to set its width. Change the numbers to find a width that you feel comfortable with.

Registry Editor is a Powerful Tool

Registry Editor can accomplish things that are otherwise not possible via the built-in settings in Windows. These tweaks work on all versions of Windows, including Windows 10 Home. You can also perform a lot of these tweaks using the Group Policy Editor, but this option is only available to those who have Windows 10 Education, Professional, or Enterprise.