Hollow Knight provides four clear profile files and also creates useful backup copies, making it a strong candidate for careful manual recovery. The key is to keep the entire LocalLow folder rather than only user1.dat: each slot can have a .bak file, older-version backups may appear after patches, and some global preferences/unlocks live elsewhere. SaveEditor therefore describes both the slot files and the boundary of what they do not contain, which avoids misleading a user who restores progress but still sees old global settings.
Which storefront context matters
Documented Hollow Knight PC launchers/storefronts: Steam, GOG, Microsoft Store. The main Windows profile files are under LocalLow. Some preferences/unlocks are stored separately, so replacing user1.dat does not necessarily reset every game-wide flag. The active storefront/account should be identified before any restore because cloud and local storage may not use the same path or container across editions.
Documented cloud behavior
Steam Cloud, GOG Galaxy, and Xbox Cloud are documented. Cloud synchronization is useful for continuity, but it can also turn a restore into a conflict-resolution event. Let synchronization settle before making a manual backup, and keep an offline copy outside any folder monitored by the launcher or operating-system sync service.
Local save roots still matter
The researched local save boundary is Windows: %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowTeam CherryHollow Knight ; Microsoft Store progress can also involve the package WGS area documented by PCGamingWiki.; the known file or folder pattern is user1.dat through user4.dat; user#.dat.bak1 backup files and older-version copies may also exist.. A cloud-enabled game still has concrete local data involved in ordinary play, and that local context is what you need when identifying which copy was modified most recently.
Avoid accidental overwrite loops
Back up the entire Hollow Knight LocalLow directory, not only one user#.dat. Keep the corresponding .bak files so the game-created recovery copies remain available. When restoring, close the game and launcher, preserve both the current local copy and the backup you want to test, then place the intended data in the matching profile/storefront location. Do not repeatedly open the game between different copies without noting which side the cloud client selected.
Compatibility and conflict checks
A profile file is not the whole application state. Steel Soul/Godseeker-style unlocks and settings can be stored outside the slot file, so slot restoration may not reproduce or erase those flags. If progress disappears or rolls back, If a profile is corrupt or missing, try the matching game-created .bak only on a copy and preserve the current directory first. Verify the slot number before renaming files. Resolve identity/path/cloud questions first. A cloud conflict is not proof that the save itself is corrupt, and a successful upload is not proof that files from another storefront are compatible.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Hollow Knight data plus the Hollow Knight Wiki Save Data page for user#.dat and .bak naming.