Windows Registry Editor Gets WinUI 3 Sample
A native WinUI 3 version of Registry Editor appears in Microsoft's open-source Reactor repository, though Microsoft has not announced plans to replace the tool in Windows 11.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Software
Windows Latest found a native WinUI 3 version of Registry Editor in Microsoft's open-source Microsoft.UI.Reactor repository. The sample reads the real Windows Registry and keeps the two-pane key and value layout of the original.
Why it matters
The sample shows how Microsoft's experimental Reactor framework can build a familiar Windows utility with native controls rather than web technologies. Microsoft has not said whether this work will lead to a replacement for the long-standing tool.
The sample is written in C# without XAML pages, code-behind or ViewModels, and its RegistryService class reads and writes the Registry through .NET's Microsoft.Win32 APIs. Reactor updates only the controls that change when state changes, and the author bundled .NET and the Windows App SDK into a portable folder by changing only build settings.
The players
Microsoft
Microsoft is the software company that develops Windows, the WinUI 3 framework, and the open-source Reactor repository in which the sample appears.
Windows Latest
Windows Latest is a technology news site known for hands-on Windows coverage, and it published the report that found and tested the sample.
The details
The app's menus, trees and dialogs are all real WinUI controls, with no HTML, Electron or WebView2 involved. The code can create, rename and delete keys and add several value types. Microsoft describes Reactor as an experimental C# framework that brings the MVU pattern to WinUI desktop apps.
Timeline
October 2026: A Microsoft developer blog post mentioned 'a registry editor' in passing.
August 2026: Marcus Ash discussed Regedit modernization on a podcast.
November 8, 2026: Windows Latest published its hands-on report on the WinUI Registry Editor.
Roadmap
The sample extends the WinUI 3 and Windows App SDK ecosystem by showing it can power a long-standing system utility with native controls. It fits a broader move at Microsoft to modernize the Windows desktop toolkit rather than rely on web-based shells.
Users who rely on Registry Editor could eventually see a faster, native-feeling version of the tool, though no release timeline has been announced. Developers gain a concrete example of building a Windows utility with Reactor and WinUI 3.
The takeaway
The sample is a useful signal for developers exploring native Windows UI, even though it is experimental and unconfirmed as a product. Watching how Microsoft's Reactor framework evolves will show whether a native Registry Editor reaches end users.
Further reading
For more on the software tools shaping Windows development, explore the Software section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Windows Latest.
