How to Enable Windows 10 and Windows 11 Registry Backup in the RegBack Folder

In recent versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, automatic registry backup in the RegBack folder is disabled by default. Enabling this feature, however, can be very useful, as it allows you to restore the registry if issues arise. In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps to manually enable automatic registry backup.

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor

First, you need to open the Registry Editor. Follow these steps:

  • Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type regedit and press Enter or click OK.
  • If prompted, confirm access to open the Registry Editor.

Step 2: Navigate to the Required Registry Key

In the Registry Editor, go to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Configuration Manager

Step 3: Create the EnablePeriodicBackup Parameter

Next, you need to create a new parameter that will enable automatic registry backups:

  • Right-click on an empty area in the right pane of the Registry Editor window.
  • Select New → DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  • Name the new parameter EnablePeriodicBackup.
  • Double-click on this new parameter and set its value to 1 to enable the backup feature.

Step 4: Restart Your Computer

To apply these changes, restart your computer. After restarting, the system will begin saving automatic registry backups in the RegBack folder located at:

C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack

Additional Information

The RegBack folder will not update automatically after every registry change, but it can serve as a helpful resource for restoring older configurations if the system encounters issues. Note that frequent backups may take up considerable disk space, so make sure you have sufficient free space on your hard drive.