Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally here, and players are exploring Pharloom’s world with Hornet. Like many big releases, some bugs and technical issues have appeared.
This guide covers the most common Hollow Knight Silksong bugs and issues, including solutions for the cloakless bug, quick-map freezes, controller problems, save file locations, and cutscene black screen errors. Whether you’re stuck in a battle, missing your cloak, or just can’t load your save, you’ll find step-by-step help here.
Slab Escape Battle Bug – Losing Your Cloak
The Problem:
During the dramatic Slab escape sequence, if you defeat the last wave but die at the same time, your character can respawn without their cloak. Since the game flags the fight as completed, the cloak doesn’t return.
Temporary Fix:
Use the Auto Save menu on the Select Profile screen and load the save marked “Caged”. You’ll need to replay the escape section, but it restores your gear.
Official Fix:
A patch is on the way for all platforms. On Steam and GOG, players can already switch to the public beta branch, load their save, and the cloak and needle will be restored automatically.
Quick-Map Soft Lock
The Problem:
In rare cases, using quick-map can freeze your character in place.
Workaround:
Open the pause menu, choose Save and Quit, and reload your game.
Status:
This has been fixed internally and will be part of the next update.
Lace Battle Bug in Deep Docks
The Problem:
If you throw a tool at Lace while restarting the fight in Deep Docks, your character may lose control.
Workaround:
Save and quit to reset.
Status:
A permanent fix is coming in the next patch.
Chapel of the Reaper Soft Lock
The Problem:
Very rarely, a Silk Snipper enemy can get stuck outside the map during the Chapel of the Reaper battle, blocking progression.
Workaround:
Use the Save and Quit option, then reload.
Status:
Team Cherry has already resolved this internally and will release a fix soon.
Controller Problems on PC
The Problem:
Some players report that their controller either doesn’t get detected or behaves strangely when connected.
Status:
The developers are investigating. Expect updates in a future patch.
Save File Issues in Silksong
Restoring Progress with Auto Saves
If you’re stuck or think your save is broken, you can revert to an auto save from the Select Profile menu. These saves are created at certain checkpoints. Be careful though—loading an auto save will overwrite your current file.
Where to Find Your Save Files
- Windows:
%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight Silksong/ - Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/unity.Team-Cherry.Silksong/ - Linux:
~/.config/unity3d/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight Silksong/
On Steam, each user has their own subfolder based on their Steam ID. Non-Steam versions store saves in a default subfolder.
Error: “Save Could Not Be Written”
If you see this error, it usually means:
- Your antivirus is blocking the game from writing save data.
- Or, your storage drive is full.
Fix: Add the Silksong save folder as an exception in your antivirus software and check that your drive has space.
Version Incompatibility Errors
Sometimes you’ll see a message saying your save file is “Version Incompatible.”
Why it happens: The file was created in a newer game version, so it contains data that older builds don’t understand.
Fix: Update your game to the latest version before loading the save.
Cutscene Black Screen on Windows
The Problem:
Some Windows players see a black screen instead of cutscenes.
Cause: Missing Microsoft Media Foundation components, which the game relies on for video playback.
Fix:
- Install the Media Feature Pack from Microsoft that matches your version of Windows.
- If you’re using a custom build like Tiny11, you may need to install the required components manually.
Final Thoughts
Most issues in Hollow Knight: Silksong already have quick workarounds, and Team Cherry is rolling out patches quickly. If you’re on Steam or GOG, consider switching to the public beta branch to get fixes early.
With patches on the horizon, expect these bugs to disappear soon so you can focus fully on exploring Pharloom.
For the latest official updates, you can also check the Hollow Knight: Silksong Help Page.
More guides: Hollow Knight Silksong Achievements and Trophies Guide.