Wish Regedit had undo, fast search and a way to see exactly what an installer changed? RegCool, a free registry editor by Kurt Zimmermann, does everything Regedit does and adds multi-level undo and redo, search and replace, snapshots and registry comparison.
Registry browsing and editing
RegCool lets you move through registry keys, inspect their values, and edit entries from the same workspace. Separate tabs can keep multiple registry locations available while you work, which is handy when checking settings in different branches.
Keys and values can be cut, copied, pasted, renamed and moved by drag and drop, which Regedit cannot do. Hive files from another Windows installation can also be loaded and edited offline as a separate registry.
Search and comparison
The fast search runs in the background and can replace matches in one pass. The compare tool checks registries between computers, and a RegShot-style snapshot lets you capture the registry before installing something and compare it afterwards.
- Use search to find a registry entry before editing it.
- Snapshot the registry before an install, then compare to see every added or changed key.
Snapshots and undo
Backup and restore save the registry as a recovery point, and a defragment function compacts the registry files.
Multi-level undo lets you step back through recent changes during an editing session. Together, undo and saved registry data provide separate ways to reverse edits: one for recent actions and one for restoring a saved state.
Pros
- Search and replace registry entries
- Save snapshots and restore registry data
- Multi-level undo for registry edits
- Compare registry data while troubleshooting changes
Cons
- Busy interface with many options for casual users
- Registry edits can still break Windows if a wrong key is changed
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11 · 32-bit and 64-bit
Is RegCool free?
Yes. It is freeware, and a portable version is available as well as the installer.
Can RegCool undo registry edits?
Yes. Multi-level undo and redo step back through changes, and backups can restore a saved registry state.
How do I see what a program changed in the registry?
Take a snapshot before installing it and another afterwards, then compare the two to list every added, removed or changed entry.
Can it edit the registry of another Windows installation?
Yes. Load its hive files and RegCool treats them as a separate registry you can edit offline.