Default User Profile Registry Hive Location

When a new user logs into a Windows system for the first time, the operating system generates their profile by copying a template registry hive stored directly on the system drive. This article explains the exact storage location of the default user registry template file, how it corresponds to the Windows Registry Editor (Regedit), and the proper method to load and modify it.

The System Drive File Location

The default user profile template registry hive is not stored directly inside an active branch of Regedit by default. Instead, it exists as a hidden system file located at:

C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT

(Note: Replace C:\ with your specific system drive letter if Windows is installed on a different partition.)

Because NTUSER.DAT is a hidden operating system file, you must enable “Hidden items” and uncheck “Hide protected operating system files” in File Explorer settings to view it manually.

Loading the Template into Regedit

To view or edit the default user profile registry template, you must manually load the hive into the Registry Editor:

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
  2. Select either the HKEY_USERS or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key in the left navigation pane.
  3. Click File in the top menu bar, then select Load Hive….
  4. Navigate to C:\Users\Default\ and select the NTUSER.DAT file.
  5. Enter a temporary key name (such as DefaultTemplate) when prompted.

The settings inside this key represent the exact template applied to any newly created user account. Once you finish editing, select the temporary key, click File, and select Unload Hive… to save the changes back to the disk.

Common Misconception: HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT

A frequent point of confusion is the HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT key visible inside Regedit. Despite its name, HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT is not the template used for new user accounts. It is the profile hive used by the Local System account, which governs system services and the Windows logon/lock screen. Changes made to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT will not replicate to new user profiles; only changes made to C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT will be inherited by new accounts.