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community.windows.win_regmerge module – Merges the contents of a registry file into the Windows registry

Note

This module is part of the community.windows collection (version 2.4.0).

You might already have this collection installed if you are using the ansible package. It is not included in ansible-core. To check whether it is installed, run ansible-galaxy collection list.

To install it, use: ansible-galaxy collection install community.windows.

To use it in a playbook, specify: community.windows.win_regmerge.

Synopsis
Parameters
Notes
See Also
Examples
Return Values

Synopsis

Wraps the reg.exe command to import the contents of a registry file.
Suitable for use with registry files created using ansible.windows.win_template.
Windows registry files have a specific format and must be constructed correctly with carriage return and line feed line endings otherwise they will not be merged.
Exported registry files often start with a Byte Order Mark which must be removed if the file is to templated using ansible.windows.win_template.
Registry file format is described at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/310516
See also ansible.windows.win_template, ansible.windows.win_regedit

Parameters

Parameter	Comments
compare_to string	The parent key to use when comparing the contents of the registry to the contents of the file. Needs to be in HKLM or HKCU part of registry. Use a PS-Drive style path for example HKLM:\SOFTWARE not HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE If not supplied, or the registry key is not found, no comparison will be made, and the module will report changed.
content string added in community.windows 2.2.0	When used instead of `path`, merges the value specified into the Windows registry. It must not include the Byte Order Mark.
path path	The full path including file name to the registry file on the remote machine to be merged

Notes

Note

Organise your registry files so that they contain a single root registry key if you want to use the compare_to functionality.
This module does not force registry settings to be in the state described in the file. If registry settings have been modified externally the module will merge the contents of the file but continue to report differences on subsequent runs.
To force registry change, use ansible.windows.win_regedit with state=absent before using community.windows.win_regmerge.

Examples

- name: Merge in a registry file without comparing to current registry
  community.windows.win_regmerge:
    path: C:\autodeploy\myCompany-settings.reg

- name: Compare and merge registry file
  community.windows.win_regmerge:
    path: C:\autodeploy\myCompany-settings.reg
    compare_to: HKLM:\SOFTWARE\myCompany

- name: Merge in a registry file specified as content without comparing to current registry
  community.windows.win_regmerge:
    content: |
      Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

      [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\myCompany]
      "ExampleKey"=dword:00000001

- name: Compare and merge registry file specified as content
  community.windows.win_regmerge:
    content: |
      Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

      [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\myCompany]
      "ExampleKey"=dword:00000001
    compare_to: HKLM:\SOFTWARE\myCompany

Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key	Description
compare_to_key_found boolean	whether the parent registry key has been found for comparison Returned: when comparison key not found in registry Sample: `false`
compared boolean	whether a comparison has taken place between the registry and the file Returned: when a comparison key has been supplied and comparison has been attempted Sample: `true`
difference_count integer	number of differences between the registry and the file Returned: changed Sample: `1`

Authors

Jon Hawkesworth (@jhawkesworth)

Collection links

© 2012–2018 Michael DeHaan
© 2018–2025 Red Hat, Inc.
Licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.
https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/community/windows/win_regmerge_module.html