5 Windows settings you can only change in the Registry

5 Windows settings you can only change in the Registry Digvijay Kumar / MakeUseOf By  Digvijay Kumar Published May 29, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT Digvijay is a Computer Science graduate with a deep passion for technology. His journey into tech writing began in 2018 with software and product reviews, and he’s been exploring the digital space ever since. He joined MUO as a full-time writer in 2022, where he covers how-tos, explainers, and tech guides focused on Android, entertainment, and the internet. Digvijay has previously contributed to several reputable publications, including Alphr , GuidingTech , TheWindowsClub , and MakeTechEasier . Outside of writing, he enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures, as he believes new experiences spark creativity. Sign in to your MakeUseOf account Add Us On Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Windows gives you a Settings app, a Control Panel, and plenty of toggles to play with. But a few of the tweaks aren't in any of those places. They live in the registry, and unless you're comfortable opening regedit, you'll never touch them. I open it after every fresh install, and at this point, I know exactly which keys to change and why . If you're on Windows Pro or Education, some of these can also be done through Group Policy Editor. But on Home, the Registry is your only option. Bring back the classic right-click menu Make the full context menu permanent Windows 11 replaced the full right-click menu with a shorter, simplified version that tucks many useful options out of sight. If you want the complete context menu, you have to click "Show more options" every single time. You can also hold Shift while right-clicking to skip that screen, but that's an extra step on every interaction rather than a real fix. To make the classi