The "Windows Registry" is a huge database of information that details every aspect of your Windows-based PC, from software to hardware, programs to preferences.
Changes are automatically made to the registry when you install/uninstall a program, or change any system settings.
Due to day-to-day computer usage, your PC's registry becomes clogged with redundant information over time, leading to system slowdown, and even crashes.
The best way to fix your registry and keep it organised is with the use of a registry cleaner.
There are many available on the market, but each one has differing features, so it can be a hard deciding with one to go for.
The best registry cleaners should meet the following criteria: A Backup and Restore Utility All good registry repair tools should have a way of making a full backup of your registry before any changes are made to it, allowing those changes to be easily undone should the need arise.
Many cleaners make this backup before each and every registry scan, and although a backup can be made manually by you, though not time-consuming, it is more of a hassle.
Ease of Use You want your registry cleaner to be both easy to install, as well as easy to use.
If the software is too complicated, then you may not be able to use it to it's fullest potential, so it's a good idea to look for a registry tool where the user interface is easy to navigate and easy to understand.
Variety of Features Every tool is different, so it's understandable that registry cleaners will have differing features between them.
Look for a tool which will scan and fix your registry both manually and automatically, allowing you to choose which entries of the registry the software will remove/fix, and which it'll leave alone.
Another feature to look for in a good registry repair tool is some kind of scheduling feature which will allow the software to scan your registry both regularly and automatically, to keep your registry clean and tidy, and your operating system running at it's most efficient.
Cost This shouldn't be the only factor to focus on, important though it might be.
As a general rule, the cheaper the registry tool, the less features it'll have.
Look around for a registry cleaner that'll meet your requirements, and look for those which offer free scans, allowing you to take them for a bit of a test run so you can evaluate them a little better.