Hollow Knight Stuck on loading Screen: How to FIX

Hollow Knight Stuck on loading Screen: When you try to enter a new room, go through a door, or transition between areas, the game begins a “loading screen.” If this never ends—i.e. the animation/logo remains, music loops, but the game never transitions—you’re “stuck on loading.”

Symptoms include:

Music / sound continues, but visuals don’t change
The loading spinner or “Knight icon” moves weirdly (or not at all)
The game freezes completely after a few moments in loading
It happens only in certain transitions (Greenpath, Black Egg Temple, etc.)
It can occur after using mods, after updates, or mid-progress

Some community reports:

One player reports getting stuck in Greenpath transitions, even after verifying files, reinstalling, disabling mods. Reddit
Another reports being stuck at the Black Egg Temple trap area: after completing the game to 98%, they cannot load the temple. Reddit
One in Silksong said: stuck at loading before entering Great Citadel; the fix was pressing jump key (X) on PC. Reddit
Many note mods (especially those affecting benches, warp, or map) cause load problems. Reddit+1

Because the problem can be caused by mods, corrupted scenes, save file issues, or engine bugs, fixing it often requires trying multiple methods.

Below is a structured troubleshooting flow.

Step-by-Step: How to Fix Hollow Knight Stuck on Loading Screen

Work down this list. After each step, test whether the loading issue is resolved.

1. Wait & Be Patient (Short Trial)

Sometimes “stuck loading” is just a slow loading due to asset streaming or heavy memory usage. Wait a few minutes, especially on slower drives. But if it’s truly stuck (no progress, no fade), then move to the next steps.

2. Disable / Remove Mods & Mod Loaders (PC)

Mods are among the most common culprits for loading issues.

Disable all mods (e.g. benchwarp, custom knight, warp mods). Many users report that infinite loading stops when mods are off. Reddit+3Reddit+3Reddit+3
If you have mod loader config files or “GlobalSettings” files (e.g. ModdingApi.GlobalSettings, Benchwarp.GlobalSettings) in your save folder, delete them. One known fix: delete files containing “ModdingApi.GlobalSettings”, “Benchwarp.GlobalSettings”, and “Customknight.GlobalSettings” from the save data directory. Reddit
After disabling mods, try loading again.

If the game loads properly with mods off, you can reintroduce mods one by one and test which one causes the issue.

3. Verify / Repair Game Files

If some data or scene files are corrupted, loading may hang.

On Steam: Right-click Hollow Knight / Silksong → Properties → Local Files → Verify integrity of game files. This will redownload missing or damaged files. Games Manuals+1
If you use another launcher (GOG, Game Pass, etc.), use its “repair” or “verify” function.
After verification, retry loading the problem area.

4. Use “Save and Quit / Reload” Trick

If you’re lucky, you might escape the stuck state by:

Press Pause / Escape → “Save and Quit”
Return to main menu
Reload your save

Often, this resets loading state and lets the game bypass the stuck scene. This trick is frequently cited in bugfix guides for Silksong and in general game glitches. HollowKnightSilksong.app

5. Try Pressing a Jump / Action Button

In some reports (especially Silksong), pressing a key like Jump (X) during a stuck loading screen allowed the game to move on. Reddit

It seems odd, but the game may be waiting for an input trigger in certain transitions.

6. Load a Backup Save or Older Save File

If your current save is corrupted at or near the transition, try:

Using a previous autosave or manual save (if available)
Restoring your save file from backup (if you had saved it earlier)
Starting from bench before the area (go back and reapproach the transition)

If a safe prior save loads normally, the problem likely lies in that transition or state data.

7. Switch Platform / Compatibility / Run As Admin (PC)

If you’re on PC:

Run the game executable as Administrator (right-click → Properties → Compatibility → Run this program as administrator)
Turn off fullscreen optimizations and override DPI scaling (set scaling to “Application”)
Try launching in windowed / borderless mode via launch options (if available)
If your PC supports it, use alternate graphics API flags (e.g. -dx11 or -dx12) to force a different rendering backend

These can avoid rendering or API hang-ups at loading.

8. Clear Save / Mod Cache / Global Setting Files

Sometimes stale configuration files cause conflicts:

Locate your Hollow Knight save directory:

Windows: %AppData%\..\LocalLow\Team Cherry\Hollow Knight\
In that folder, delete any files with names containing “ModdingApi.GlobalSettings,” “Benchwarp.GlobalSettings,” or similar. (These are mod configuration files) Reddit+1
Restart the game.

Be cautious: back up your save folder first to avoid losing progress.

9. Reinstall the Game / Fresh Install

If nothing works:

Uninstall the game completely
Delete any leftover game folders (especially mod / custom files)
Reinstall fresh
Try loading the game to the problematic area (with no mods)

This often fixes corrupted assets or scene data.

10. Community & Developer Patches / Updates

Make sure your game is fully updated to the latest version — patches often fix loading bugs.
For Silksong, check the official help site for known issues. Hollow Knight: Silksong
If you’re on console, check for firmware / game updates.
Submit a bug report with details (platform, save location, what transition, logs/screenshots) to the game’s support team.

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Platform-Specific Notes & Caveats

PC

Mods are often the biggest issue. Always test vanilla state first
In some cases, scenes are too heavy for memory or GPU — turning off effects or lowering resolution may help
Certain scene transitions (e.g. in Greenpath or Queen’s Gardens) are more likely to hang according to reports Reddit+1
On Steam Silksong discussions, many users are stuck after Moss Mother fight loading into Great Citadel — they reinstalled but it didn’t fix. Steam Community

Consoles (PS4 / PS5 / Xbox)

While not as widely reported, consoles can also experience stuck loading:

On PS5, some users report that after passing certain screens, the game locks up permanently on the loading screen, requiring console reset. Reddit
The fix is often a power cycle / hard reset of the console (turn off fully, unplug, wait, restart)
Reinstalling the game on console may help if data is corrupt
Try loading a different save or reentering from bench
Check for game updates / console firmware updates

Example Scenario: Greenpath Infinite Loading (PC, Mods Active)

Suppose you reach a Greenpath door and upon entering, the loading screen spins indefinitely. You’ve tried restarting, but it is still stuck.

Suggested flow:

Exit the game, disable all mods
Delete mod configuration files in save folder (*.GlobalSettings)
Verify game files via Steam
Launch the game to Greenpath with no mods
If it works, enable mods one by one and test
If it fails even modless, try “Save and Quit → reload” trick
If still stuck, uninstall and reinstall

In many community posts, users said that removing mods solved the loading freeze for Greenpath transitions. Reddit

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1. The game plays up to a certain room, and entering that door always causes infinite loading. What’s wrong?
A: That suggests that scene file or transition data is corrupt (or mod interfering). Try disabling mods, verifying files, reloading save, or reinstalling. If the issue persists across installs, contact support with your save file.

Q2. I have no mods, but still get stuck loading in Silksong after certain cutscenes.
A: That has been reported — e.g. after the Moss Mother fight, the transition to Great Citadel. Many users report that reinstalling doesn’t fix it. Steam Community Use “Save and Quit / reload,” check for patch updates, and report the bug.

Q3. I pressed all keys, nothing changes (stuck). Is there a hidden workaround?
A: In Silksong, one user found pressing the Jump button during the stuck loading triggered progress. Reddit Good to try non-obvious keys like Jump, Attack, etc.

Q4. Will reinstalling delete my saves?
A: Usually not — save files are stored separately (e.g. %LocalLow/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight/). But it’s always safest to back up the save folder before reinstalling.

Q5. What if the stuck loading happens only when specific mods are enabled, e.g. bench warp?
A: That’s quite common. For example, the user whose stuck black screen was resolved by removing benchwarp mod. Reddit The mod may interfere with transition logic. Remove or replace the mod.

Q6. On console, the screen remains black indefinitely. Reinstall helps?
A: Yes — console stuck loading often comes from corrupted installation or cached data. Reinstalling the game, deleting stored local data (if safe), or full power cycle often fixes it.

Q7. Why do some rooms / transitions cause freeze more often?
A: Because those areas may have heavier assets (environment, textures, fog, particles) or special scripts / cutscenes. If your system or memory is stressed, those transitions may be more prone to hanging.

Q8. I use a safe mode / low power mode — does that help?
A: In some cases, reducing graphic load helps. If you can launch the game, lower resolution, disable effects, or use windowed mode to reduce strain during heavy transitions.

Summary & Best Practices

Always test the vanilla version (no mods) when diagnosing loading issues
Use Verify / Repair game files to fix corruption
Remove mod config / “GlobalSettings” files
Use Save and Quit / reload trick
Press Jump / other keys during stuck load (some transitions require input)
Roll back to older save if possible
If needed, reinstall the game
On consoles, do a power cycle and reinstall if necessary
Keep your game updated — patches frequently address loading bugs