# Registry

Windows Process: Microsoft Corporation

Also called registry process, registry hive process

Windows, System Component

A system process Windows uses to hold registry hive memory. It appeared as its own Task Manager row in Windows 10 version 1809.

## What you need to know

This holds registry hives in their own process. It is not Registry Editor.

Since Windows 10 1809, Windows can show a Registry process so hive memory is not billed to System. Ending it is not supported. It is not regedit.exe.

- **Safe?**: Yes. It is a hive host

  **Can I end it?**: No

  **Is it regedit?**: No. Different program

Feex says

I would not open regedit because Task Manager showed Registry. That row is memory accounting for hives, not the editor you use to change keys.

## What is Registry?

Registry is a system process that owns mapped registry hive pages. Microsoft split it from System so Task Manager stopped blaming PID 4 for hive RAM.

## What does it do?

It keeps SOFTWARE, SYSTEM, and user hives resident. It does not browse keys. regedit.exe is the editor. It does not install apps.

## Why is it running?

You are on Windows 10 1809 or later, or Windows 11. Older Windows folded this RAM into System. Seeing the row is a version feature, not a new infection.

## Is it safe?

Usually safe

The Registry process is part of the memory manager. A random Registry.exe in a zip is not this row.

A legitimate copy normally runs from:

`System process (registry hive working set)`

- Not regedit.exe
- Present from Windows 10 version 1809
- Memory size follows hive size

## Can I end it?

No

Windows does not offer a safe End task for Registry. Killing hive memory would freeze configuration access.

## Can I remove it?

No

You cannot uninstall the Registry process. Deleting hive files under config is how you break the boot.

## Should it start with Windows?

The memory manager creates it. It is not a Startup Apps entry and it is not a scheduled task you wrote.

## Normal resource behavior

These are contextual labels, not universal averages.

- **CPU**: Low. Hive flushes are short

  **Memory**: Can look large on a machine with big hives. That is the data, not a leak by itself

  **Disk**: Hive commit to disk

  **Network**: None

## File information

| Executable name        | Registry                                   |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Common legitimate path | System process (registry hive working set) |
| Publisher              | Microsoft Corporation                      |
| Signature expectation  | Signed by Microsoft Windows                |

## Common problems

### Large memory number scares people

A fat SOFTWARE hive or a profile with huge user settings makes this row grow. That is stored configuration, not Chrome tabs.

### People open regedit and start deleting

The process name is not a hint to edit the store. Back up before you touch keys, and do not do that as a first step.

## Troubleshooting

Diagnose before you change anything destructive.

### Measure hive files, not vibes

The files under C:\Windows\System32\config explain a large Registry working set. Compacting hives is an advanced repair, not a weekly habit.

### Do not end Registry to free RAM

You would be evicting configuration the OS still needs. Close apps instead.

## Technical details

Technical details

| Display name                 | Registry                |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------- |
| Introduced as a separate row | Windows 10 version 1809 |

## Related

These entities connect to this article. Type is shown on every link.

[System: Windows Process](https://feex.it/wiki/process/system)[What is a Windows process: Guide](https://feex.it/wiki/software/system/what-is-a-windows-process)

## Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. [How we research](https://feex.it/wiki/research).

- [Microsoft: Windows 10 1809 process changes ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/release-health/release-information)· 1809 split registry memory out of System
- [Microsoft Learn: Registry hives ](https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/win32/sysinfo/registry-hives)· Hive files the process holds
- [Foxhole process map ](https://foxhole.feex.it/)· First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

## Was this article useful?

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Quick facts

The short identity of this page. Specs, sources, and the full story stay in the article.

- **Type**: Windows Process

  **Publisher**: Microsoft Corporation

  **Executable**: Registry

  **Since**: Windows 10 version 1809

  **Mapped by Feex**: Seen on Windows PCs in Foxhole

Feex Reviewed: Last verified August 2026

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Source: [Canonical Feex Wiki page](https://feex.it/wiki/process/registry/)

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