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.
Choose the correct backup boundary
For Hollow Knight, the researched PC save location is Windows: %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowTeam CherryHollow Knight ; Microsoft Store progress can also involve the package WGS area documented by PCGamingWiki.. The known save file or folder pattern is user1.dat through user4.dat; user#.dat.bak1 backup files and older-version copies may also exist.. 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. Copying the complete documented save boundary is safer than selecting one visually obvious file, because companion metadata, indexes, backups, or multiple slots can be required together.
Make an offline copy before changing anything
Close the game first, wait for the active launcher to finish writing, then copy the save data to a separate folder that the game and sync client do not watch. Label the copy with the game, storefront, profile, and date. Documented launcher context: 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.
Account for cloud saves
Steam Cloud, GOG Galaxy, and Xbox Cloud are documented. Before restoring an older backup, decide which copy should win. If the game or launcher starts while an older manual copy is in place, synchronization can replace it before you confirm that it works. Keep the untouched backup outside the live save path until the restored progress has been opened and saved normally.
Restore without changing format assumptions
The four player profiles are individual user#.dat files. The game also keeps automatic backup/older-version files, while some unlock/preferences data lives outside the main save files. Compatibility note: 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. Restore into the matching storefront/profile context whenever possible. Do not rename a save extension, move a folder into a different container type, or assume a console/mobile copy is equivalent unless a tested migration path specifically says so.
Recovery fallback
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. If the restored copy fails, put the untouched original back first. Then compare location, account/profile, cloud state, and the full directory structure before trying a different backup. The objective is reversible recovery, not repeated destructive experiments on the only copy.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Hollow Knight data plus the Hollow Knight Wiki Save Data page for user#.dat and .bak naming.