diff --git a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.cc b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.cc
index 82c3b2e1017f..74d6d03ce7cb 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.cc
+++ b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.cc
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ void SystemPreferences::BuildPrototype(
                  &SystemPreferences::SubscribeLocalNotification)
       .SetMethod("unsubscribeLocalNotification",
                  &SystemPreferences::UnsubscribeLocalNotification)
-      .SetMethod("registerDefaults", &SystemPreferences::RegisterDefaults)
       .SetMethod("getUserDefault", &SystemPreferences::GetUserDefault)
       .SetMethod("setUserDefault", &SystemPreferences::SetUserDefault)
       .SetMethod("removeUserDefault", &SystemPreferences::RemoveUserDefault)
diff --git a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.h b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.h
index 4e432d7e51e1..ea5daed94a5f 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.h
+++ b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences.h
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ class SystemPreferences : public mate::EventEmitter<SystemPreferences>
   void UnsubscribeLocalNotification(int request_id);
   v8::Local<v8::Value> GetUserDefault(const std::string& name,
                                       const std::string& type);
-  void RegisterDefaults(mate::Arguments* args);
   void SetUserDefault(const std::string& name,
                       const std::string& type,
                       mate::Arguments* args);
diff --git a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm
index 465decf3164a..58e9b848e25c 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm
+++ b/atom/browser/api/atom_api_system_preferences_mac.mm
@@ -144,21 +144,6 @@ v8::Local<v8::Value> SystemPreferences::GetUserDefault(
   }
 }
 
-void SystemPreferences::RegisterDefaults(mate::Arguments* args) {
-  base::DictionaryValue value;
-  
-  if(!args->GetNext(&value)) {
-    args->ThrowError("Invalid userDefault data provided");
-  } else {
-    @try {
-      NSDictionary* dict = DictionaryValueToNSDictionary(value);
-      [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] registerDefaults:dict];
-    } @catch (NSException* exception) {
-      args->ThrowError("Invalid userDefault data provided");
-    }
-  }
-}
-
 void SystemPreferences::SetUserDefault(const std::string& name,
                                        const std::string& type,
                                        mate::Arguments* args) {
diff --git a/docs/api/system-preferences.md b/docs/api/system-preferences.md
index 8aeec07ca2be..1fe53eed360b 100644
--- a/docs/api/system-preferences.md
+++ b/docs/api/system-preferences.md
@@ -106,14 +106,6 @@ This is necessary for events such as `NSUserDefaultsDidChangeNotification`.
 
 Same as `unsubscribeNotification`, but removes the subscriber from `NSNotificationCenter`.
 
-### `systemPreferences.registerDefaults(defaults)` _macOS_
-
-* `defaults` Object - a dictionary of (`key: value`) user defaults
-  * `key` String
-  * `value` Any
-
-Add the specified defaults to your application's `NSUserDefaults`.
-
 ### `systemPreferences.getUserDefault(key, type)` _macOS_
 
 * `key` String
diff --git a/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js b/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js
index 50becf1604e7..d6513b364b33 100644
--- a/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js
+++ b/spec/api-system-preferences-spec.js
@@ -35,44 +35,6 @@ describe('systemPreferences module', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  describe('systemPreferences.registerDefaults(defaults)', () => {
-    before(function () {
-      if (process.platform !== 'darwin') this.skip()
-    })
-
-    it('registers defaults', () => {
-      const defaultsMap = [
-        { key: 'one', type: 'string', value: 'ONE' },
-        { key: 'two', value: 2, type: 'integer' },
-        { key: 'three', value: [1, 2, 3], type: 'array' }
-      ]
-
-      const defaultsDict = {}
-      defaultsMap.forEach(row => { defaultsDict[row.key] = row.value })
-
-      systemPreferences.registerDefaults(defaultsDict)
-
-      for (const userDefault of defaultsMap) {
-        const { key, value: expectedValue, type } = userDefault
-        const actualValue = systemPreferences.getUserDefault(key, type)
-        assert.deepEqual(actualValue, expectedValue)
-      }
-    })
-
-    it('throws when bad defaults are passed', () => {
-      for (const badDefaults of [
-        { 'one': null },  // catches null values
-        1,  // argument must be a dictionary
-        null, // argument can't be null
-        new Date() // shouldn't be able to pass date object
-      ]) {
-        assert.throws(() => {
-          systemPreferences.registerDefaults(badDefaults)
-        }, 'Invalid userDefault data provided')
-      }
-    })
-  })
-
   describe('systemPreferences.getUserDefault(key, type)', () => {
     before(function () {
       if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {