Often, this error is triggered due to a formatting error in the registry script. Other issues include temporary glitches, third-party software conflict, and permission issues. Here we show you how to fix the “Registry Editor cannot import file” error in Windows.
1. Check the Registry File for Formatting Errors
If you see the error, The specified file is not a registry script, check the registry script file for formatting errors. The common contributing factor to registry script errors is blank lines.
Follow these steps to check and fix the formatting error with your registry script:
Right-click on the registry file that you want to import. Select Open With and then select Notepad. You can also use Notepad++ if you have it installed. When the file opens, check if the first line is blank. If yes, remove the blank space to ensure the registry script starts with the Windows Registry Editor Version XX line. Press Ctrl + S to save the script. Once done, try importing the registry to see if the cannot import error is resolved.
2. Check the Registry File for Encoding Errors
If the issue persists, check for encoding issues. To troubleshoot encoding issues, do the following:
Open the registry script in notepad. To do this, right-click on the script file, select Open With and select Notepad. In Notepad, click on File and select Save As. In the save dialog, click the drop-down for Encoding and select ANSI or Unicode. Click Save to save the file with ANSI encoding.
Needless to say, your script name should end with the .reg extension, and the Save as type should be set to All Files (.). Without this, your registry script will not work.
Once done, try to import the registry file and check for any improvements.
3. Check for Third-Party Program Conflicts
If you have a clean registry file, look for other services and programs creating conflict during the import process.
Start by closing any conflicting app in the background using the Task Manager. A quick reboot can help you fix issues triggered due to temporary glitches. Restarting your PC will close all the running apps including the programs using the Registry Editor.
After the restart, try to import the registry file to see if the error is resolved.
4. Import the File in Safe Mode
In safe mode, Windows boots with a basic set of drivers and services essential for the operating system to work. Safe Mode is helpful to fix issues that occur due to a third-party app conflict.
You can try to import the registry file in safe mode to see if that helps resolve the cannot import error. Here’s how to boot into safe mode in Windows 11. These steps are also applicable if you are running Windows 10 instead.
5. Grant Permission to the Registry
If your user account doesn’t have the necessary privileges to modify the registry entries, you may not be able to import some registry files.
To resolve this, you can grant permission to the specific keys in the Registry Editor. Here’s how to do it.
Press Win + R to open Run. Type regedit and click OK to open the Registry Editor. Click Yes when prompted by UAC. Next, right-click on the registry key you want to grant permission to and select Permissions from the context menu. In the Permission dialog, click the Advanced button. In the Advanced Security Settings dialog, locate your user account name and ensure it has Full Control under the Access column. If not, click on the Add button. Click on Select a principal and type the user account name. If found, click OK to select. Next, under Basic permissions, select Full Control. Click OK to save the changes.
If granting permission does not work, you can take ownership of the registry key to make modifications. Once done, try to import the registry file to see if it completes without any error.
Fixing the Import Error in Windows
The common cause for the cannot import error in the Registry Editor is a formatting or encoding issue with your registry script. If your script is error-free, try to check for third-party program conflict and permission issues.
