.reg Windows Registry extract
Text & source code
| MIME type | text/x-ms-regedit |
|---|---|
| Description | Windows Registry extract |
| Category | Text & source code |
| Signature (magic bytes) | 52 45 47 45 44 49 54 (REGEDIT) |
| Based on | text/plain |
Frequently asked questions
What is a .reg file?
A .reg file is a “Windows Registry extract” (MIME type text/x-ms-regedit).
How do I open a .reg file?
With any text editor – Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, or gedit and vim on Linux. The file contains readable text, possibly source code or configuration.
How can you tell a genuine .reg file?
By the bytes at the start of the file, the signature (magic bytes): 52 45 47 45 44 49 54 (REGEDIT). On Linux and macOS, file --mime-type example.reg checks the real type regardless of the extension.
Which format is .reg based on?
Technically a .reg file is a subtype of “Plain text document” (text/plain), so programs for that base format can often read it too.
Which MIME type belongs to .reg?
The MIME type is text/x-ms-regedit. In the Apache web server: AddType text/x-ms-regedit .reg; in nginx: types { text/x-ms-regedit reg; }.