When you try to import a registry file (.reg) by double-clicking it or by using the Import option from within the Registry Editor, the following error occurs. As a result, the .reg file is not imported.
Cannot import filename.reg: The specified file is not a registry script. You can only import binary registry files from within the registry editor.
This post tells you how to fix the .reg file import error in Windows.
Fix for “The specified file is not a registry script” Error
Registration Entries (.reg) file is used to add, modify, or delete registry entries. The Registry Editor (regedit.exe) uses .reg files to import and export registry subkeys and values. You can use these .reg files to distribute registry changes to several Windows-based computers. When you run a .reg file, the file contents merge into the local registry.
A .reg file has the following syntax:
RegistryEditorVersion
Blank line
[RegistryPath1]
"DataItemName1"="DataType1:DataValue1"
"DataItemName2"="DataType2:DataValue2"
Blank line
[RegistryPath2]
"DataItemName3"="DataType3:DataValue3"where:
RegistryEditorVersion is either Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 for Windows 2000 and higher systems, or REGEDIT4 for Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0. Note that the REGEDIT4 header also works on Windows 2000 and higher computers, including Windows 10.
The 1st line should start with the registry editor version. This is the basic rule! And it should be followed by a blank line.
Fix the .reg file syntax and formatting
The error “The specified file is not a registry script” occurs if the 1st line in the .reg file is just a blank line, or the registry editor version header is incorrect or missing. To fix the error:
- Open (edit) the .reg file using Notepad.
- Clear the blank line at the top of the REG file, and save the file.
- Make sure that the 1st line contains the registry editor version.
- You may have created or saved the .reg in an editor something other than Notepad. If so, that may have ended up inadvertently adding extra formatting codes. Make sure you recreate the .reg file using Notepad and choose Unicode or ANSI when saving the .reg file.
- Also, see Microsoft article Add, modify, or delete registry entries by using a .reg file to know how to create a .reg file. After reading through the article, you should be able to check if your .reg file contents are legitimate.
That should fix the error “The specified file is not a registry script. You can only import binary registry files from within the registry editor” when importing .reg files in Windows.
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Thanks. The information you provided made it possible to import a file into the registry. Having the Registry Editor version and the blank line did the trick.
Saving as ANSI fixed it … THANK YOU!!
Same here, saving as ANSI fixed it. It’s totally insane that there is no indication the encoding would be the issue, how would I have ever determined that without finding your post??? Thanks MS.
Thanks. It worked like a charm.
thank you so much. you saved my memories
It dosent work because you won’t tell me the version
You didn’t even read the article huh? It’s literally the second paragraph.
thank you so much. This really helped me. my fie has been saved.
Thank you soo much
Thank you! It worked for me in June 19th, 2024