How to disable Background Processing of Registry Policy in Windows 10

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform. The kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user interface, and third party applications all make use of the registry. The registry also provides a means to access counters for profiling system performance. By default, the registry manages its processing during an active session on the computer.

Registry Policy Processing

We have seen how to disable the background refresh of Group Policy. The Registry policy processing seems to share the same logic as the Group Policy does. In either case, disabling background refresh of registry processing prevents the system from updating affected policies in the background, while the computer is in use. Also for most users, this is fine, in some environments, system administrators may want to disable background refresh of the registry, and background updates can disrupt the user, cause a program to stop or operate abnormally, and, in rare cases, damage data.

Configure Background Refresh of Registry Policy Processing

1. Press Windows Key + R combination, type put gpedit.msc in Run dialog box and hit Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. Navigate here:

Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Group Policy

3. In the right pane, look for the setting Configure registry processing policy. It should have Not Configured status by default. Double-clicking over it will yield you following window:

4. Click on the Enabled status in order to prevent registry processing while the computer is in use. Additionally, you need to check the option Do not apply during periodic background processing as indicated. Also, you can prevent the computer from updating the registry database even if the Group Policy is not changed by Process even if the Group Policy objects have not changed option remaining unchecked.

5. Click Apply followed by OK. Reboot to get results. That’s it!

Disable Background Refresh of Registry Processing using Registry Editor

1. Press Windows Key + R combination, type put Regedt32.exe in Run dialog box and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to this registry key:’

HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

3. In the left pane of this location, create a new subkey using Right-click -> New -> Key over Windows key. Name it as Group Policy. Now create a new subkey of the Group Policy subkey so created in the same way. Rename it as:

{35378EAC-683F-11D2-A89A-00C04FBBCFA2}

4. Come to the right pane of the subkey created above, create a new DWORD using Right-click -> New -> DWORD.

Name it as NoBackgroundPolicy which would be a replica of Do not apply during periodic background processing option provided in Group Policy. Double-click on the DWORD to modify it:

5. In order to prevent the computer from refreshing the registry in the background while it is in use, input the Value data equals to 1. Click OK. For the second option similar to Group Policy i.e. Process even if the Group Policy objects have not changed you can create a new DWORD and name it as NoGPOListChanges. Let its Value data remains 0.

6. You may close the Registry Editor and reboot to see the changes effective.

That’s it!