The 6 Best Registry Hacks for Windows 11 to Improve Your Experience

Windows 11 is sleek, but it doesn’t give you full control out of the box. That’s where the Windows Registry comes in. A few smart tweaks can make your PC faster, cleaner, and more user-friendly. Here are six of the best registry hacks to level up your Windows 11 experience.

⚠️ Warning: Editing the registry can break things if you’re not careful. Back up your registry (and system) before you change anything.

1. Speed Up the Right-Click Context Menu

Windows 11 introduced a redesigned right-click menu, but it can feel sluggish. You can disable the delay by editing this registry key:

Path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control
Key to modify:
WaitToKillServiceTimeout
New value:
Change it from 5000 (5 seconds) to 2000 or 1000.

This speeds up how fast Windows responds when right-clicking or shutting down stuck services.

2. Bring Back the Classic Right-Click Menu

Not a fan of the new context menu? Revert to the classic version:

Path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID
Create Key:
{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}
Inside that, create another key:
InprocServer32
Then double-click the default value and leave it blank.

Restart your system or Windows Explorer, and you’ll get the old right-click menu back.

3. Disable the Lock Screen

Want to skip the lock screen and get straight to login? Here’s how:

Path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization
Create DWORD (32-bit):
NoLockScreen = 1

If the Personalization key doesn’t exist, create it. This tweak is especially useful on desktop PCs where the lock screen is just in the way.

4. Remove “Recommended” Items from the Start Menu

The Start Menu shows recently used files. Not everyone wants that.

Path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
Create DWORD (32-bit):
HideRecommendedSection = 1

You’ll need to restart Explorer or your system to see the change.

5. Increase Taskbar Transparency

Want a cleaner, glass-like taskbar? Boost transparency like this:

Path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
Create DWORD (32-bit):
UseOLEDTaskbarTransparency = 1

This enhances the existing transparency effect and makes the taskbar feel more modern.

6. Disable Bing in Windows Search

If you want search results to be local-only (no web junk), turn off Bing integration:

Path:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
Create DWORD (32-bit):
DisableSearchBoxSuggestions = 1

You’ll get faster, cleaner results when using the search bar.

Final Tips

After making any registry changes:

• Close the Registry Editor
• Restart your PC or Windows Explorer (Ctrl + Shift + Esc > find “Windows Explorer” > right-click > Restart)

These hacks don’t require third-party apps, but they do require caution. Done right, they’ll make your Windows 11 setup faster, cleaner, and more in line with how you want it to work.

Got a favorite registry tweak I didn’t mention? Drop it in the comments. Let’s make Windows better—one hack at a time.