Windows application specific's registry key

Question

Windows application specific's registry key

thebluetropics 1,046

I need a place to put configuration for my Win32 application inside the registry. Where it is should be? Are there multiple places to store application-specific registry?

David Lowndes 4,726 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:17:14.413+00:00

If it's application specific, rather than user specific that you need, you'd use the HKLM root - but that will normally require elevated privileges to write to.
thebluetropics 1,046 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:27:03.37+00:00

I don't want to force users to elevate in order to save their configurations on registry.
David Lowndes 4,726 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:58:40.243+00:00

So, do you want application specific (common to all users), or user specific?
thebluetropics 1,046 Reputation points

2022-10-04T12:17:07.9+00:00

user-specific configuration for specific application.

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David Lowndes 4,726 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:17:14.413+00:00

If it's application specific, rather than user specific that you need, you'd use the HKLM root - but that will normally require elevated privileges to write to.
thebluetropics 1,046 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:27:03.37+00:00

I don't want to force users to elevate in order to save their configurations on registry.
David Lowndes 4,726 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:58:40.243+00:00

So, do you want application specific (common to all users), or user specific?
thebluetropics 1,046 Reputation points

2022-10-04T12:17:07.9+00:00

user-specific configuration for specific application.

Answer 1

Castorix31 90,956

An usual key is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE + name of the application
Predefined Keys :
"
In HKEY_CURRENT_USER, software vendors store the current user-specific preferences to be used within their applications. Microsoft, for example, creates the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft key for its applications to use, with each application creating its own subkey under the Microsoft key.
"

thebluetropics 1,046 Reputation points

2022-10-04T06:26:11.88+00:00

@Castorix31

May I have the link to that quote? Thank you.
Castorix31 90,956 Reputation points

2022-10-04T08:46:10.253+00:00

It is in the message at Predefined Keys link...
thebluetropics 1,046 Reputation points

2022-10-04T12:17:42.3+00:00

My bad reading your question... Sorry.
Bruce (SqlWork.com) 79,101 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-07-21T23:00:45.63+00:00

note: the registry is still locked down. Your installer app should create the keys (will require admin permissions) and give the user read access to the key values.

Answer 2

Nick Roberts 5

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Your Company\The Application...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER can be abbreviated HKCU

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Windows application specific's registry key

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