Again, be very careful, and only do this if you're absolutely sure that an erroneous registry entry is the heart of your problem.

Then, navigate to the problem key and delete it like you would with any regular file. To launch regedit, hit the Windows key + R, type “regedit” without the quotes, and press enter. If you’re certain that a registry key is the root of a problem, you can delete it using the windows regedit tool. Manually created keys and custom keys are often missed by cleaning utilities since they’re not considered invalid. This situation only usually applies if you’ve manually installed a bad key. All you have to do is head to the registry tab on the sidebar, click 'Scan for Issues,' then hit 'Fix Selected Issues.' Voila, you’re done.

Initiating a registry dusting is a two-click process in most cleaning tools. They also prompt you to back up your registry before the operation, saving you an important step. Reputable PC cleaning tools, such as CCleaner (opens in new tab) and Iolo System Mechanic (opens in new tab), are excellent at avoiding critical keys. Though there’s no performance benefit to cleaning your registry, there (usually) isn’t any harm in doing it, either. Always make a backup copy (opens in new tab) of your registry before committing to any changes. This is especially true if you’re removing keys manually.

A word of caution before you begin: due to the delicate nature of the registry, it’s very likely that a seemingly small mistake can cause a major screw up. If, for some unfathomable reason, you still want to clean your registry, then there are several means available to you. In general, the answer is simply 'no.' Cleaning your registry won't make your PC perform better, and not cleaning it isn't going to lead to some future disaster.

Cc registry cleaner windows 10