Scripts to manage registry keys on Windows devices

The registry is a vital component of the Windows operating system that stores essential system and application settings. Modifying registry keys can be a powerful way to customize and configure Windows devices, but it can also be a daunting task, especially when managing many devices. To simplify the process, administrators can use scripts to automate the management of registry keys on Windows devices. Using Hexnode’s Execute Custom Script feature you can deploy scripts on multiple devices from a single platform.

PowerShell commands to manage registry keys

List all subkeys in local machine registry

To list all the subkeys present in the local machine registry, use the following command:

Create a subkey inside the local machine registry

To add a subkey in the local machine registry, use the following syntax:

For example, to create a subkey named ‘newkey’ inside the SOFTWARE subkey of the local machine registry.

New-Item -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\newkey

To add a new key having spaces in its name, use the following code:

New-Item -Path ‘HKLM:\SOFTWARE\new key’

Delete a subkey from the local machine registry

To silently delete a subkey from the local machine registry, use the following syntax:

For example, to delete a subkey named ‘key_to_be_deleted’ inside the SOFTWARE subkey of the local machine registry.

Remove-Item -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\key_to_be_deleted

Delete all keys under a specific key

To remove all keys within a specified subkey but not the key itself, use the syntax:

For example, to remove all keys under the key ‘key_name’ but itself, inside the HARDWARE subkey of the local machine registry.

Remove-Item -Path HKLM:\HARDWARE\key_name\* -Recurse

Batch commands to manage registry keys

Add a new subkey to the local machine registry

To add a new subkey or entry to the local machine registry, use this syntax:

For example, to add a registry entry to HKLM\Software\keyname with a value named Value, the type REG_BINARY, and data of ge453ted, use the following command:

reg add HKLM\Software\keyname /v Value /t REG_BINARY /d ge453ted /f

Delete a subkey from the local machine registry

To delete a subkey from the local machine registry, use the following syntax:

For example, to delete the registry key child_subkey along with its parent keys and values inside the Software subkey.

reg delete HKLM\Software\keyname\parent_key\child_subkey /f

Export subkeys, entries & values of the local machine into a file

The subkeys, entries, and values of the local computer can be duplicated and saved in a file to facilitate transfer to other servers, using this syntax:

For example, to export all the values and content of the subkey child_subkey to the file file_name.reg.

reg export HKLM\Software\child_subkey file_name.reg

Import file content to local machine registry

The registry subkeys, entries, and values from an exported file can be transferred and added to the registry of the local computer, using this syntax:

For example, to import registry subkeys, entries, and values to a file named file_name.reg:

reg import file_name.reg

Save a copy of registry subkeys, entries & values in a file

A specified file can be used to store a copy of specific subkeys, entries, and values from the registry, using the syntax:

For example, to save the hive child_subkey as a file named Name_of_file.hiv in the current folder, you can use the following command.

reg save HKLM\Software\child_subkey Name_of_file.hiv

Restore subkeys & entries back to the local machine registry

This command writes the saved subkeys and entries back to the local machine registry.

For example, if you want to restore the file named “Name_of_file.hiv” and overwrite the existing contents of the key HKLM\Software\child_subkey, you can use the following command.

reg restore HKLM\Software\child_key Name_of_file.hiv