How to Fix Hollow Knight Not Launching or Stuck on Black Screen – Complete Guide

All gamers have faced the nightmare of the game being stuck on a black screen once in their lifetime. However, most of them do not know how to overcome this issue and start panicking. Fortunately, there are now various solutions available through which you can resolve this error. In this article, we will discuss the most reliable solutions on how to fix hollow knight not launching or stuck on black screen.

Part 1. Why is Hollow Knight Not Launching or Stuck on Black Screen?

Before looking for a solution for the hollow knight not launching issue, you must know the reason behind the occurrence of such issues. Some of the most common reasons as a result of which gamers experience the problem of getting stuck on the black screen are listed below:

1. Resolution Conflict: The default resolution used by the game might not support your display, resulting in a black screen when starting the game.
2. Older Graphics Drivers: The game may not boot up or may fail to launch altogether without the most current GPU drivers.
3. Damaged or missing Game Files: Damaged or incomplete game files may interrupt the process of launching a game, causing the game to freeze or appear as a blank screen.
4. Background Programs Interference: There are other software in the background which might interfere with the processes of Hollow Knight, like overlays or antivirus software, and prevent the game from starting.
5. Administrator Privileges Not Given: When the game is run without administrator privileges, file access may be limited, resulting in problems with launching the game or incomplete initialization.

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Part 2. Basic Fixes for How to Fix Hollow Knight Not Launching or Stuck on Black Screen

After learning about the reason for the game screen going black, let's move to the solutions for this error. Provided next are some of the most effective fixes that you can try to resolve the hollow knight stuck on black screen issue:

1. Restart PC

The first thing one should do when such issues occur is to restart their machine. Sometimes the game gets stuck or goes blank due to a minor bug or error. Restarting a computer removes temporary glitches and errors in no time. However, if you do not know how to restart a PC, follow the instructions given below:

Instructions. Head to the Windows icon located at the bottom-left corner of your screen and press the “Power” icon. Next, select the “Restart” option and wait for the system to shut down and then start again.

2. Run as Administrator

As an administrator, running Hollow Knight can be used to fix launch problems by giving the game high access to system resources. The game may not be able to write save data or access secured files without administration privileges, resulting in black screens. If you do not know how to run a program as an admin, read the instructions in the following section and fix the game won't launch on steam issue:

Instructions. After locating the program in your File Explorer, right-click on it to open a list of options. From here, locate and click on the "Run as Administrator" option to successfully run the game under admin privileges.

3. Verify Integrity of Game Files

Checking the integrity of game files on Steam is the only way to be sure that your game has been installed and is not corrupted. It is an automatic repair system that reinstates your game files into the desired position without reinstalling the entire game. Read the steps provided next to learn how to verify the game files within the Steam environment and resolve the " steam game not launching error:

1. After accessing the "Library" section from the top-left corner of your Steam screen, select the game and right-click on it. Next, locate the "Properties" option from the list and click on it.

   

2. Now, access the “Installed Files” section from the left and press the “Verify Integrity of Game Files” option located within the interface.

   

4. Update Graphics Drivers

It is imperative to update graphics drivers to make sure your PC can correctly execute any games, such as Hollow Knight, without turning the screen black. Keeping drivers current ensures compatibility with the latest games and improves stability by fixing bugs like hollow knight not launching. Here is how you can perform this useful fix: 

1. Access your system's Device Manager and expand the "Display Adaptors" option from the left. Now select the driver and right-click on it to choose the "Update Driver" option.

   

2. In the following interface, click the “Search Automatically for Drivers” option to let the system look for updates automatically.

   

5. Disable Overlays

Turning off overlays and background programs can enhance the performance of games and avoid conflicts leading to crashes or black screens. Overlays like the Steam overlay have a high CPU and GPU footprint, even when not in use, resulting in lower frame rates and instability in games. Follow the steps mentioned below to learn how to disable the Steam overlay to resolve the steam game stuck on loading screen error:

1. Go to the “Steam” option located at the top-left corner of the interface. Now press the “Settings” option located within the expanded list.

   

2. Enable the "In Game" section on the left and turn the toggle off for the "Enable the Steam Overlay While In-Game" option.

   

6. Switch Graphics API/Window Modes

The method of switching Graphics API or Window Modes addresses compatibility and stability by directing the game's rendering through different graphical backends. The method uses rendering pathways and presentation settings to enhance compatibility without altering core game logic. Read the steps mentioned next to learn how to use this utility for fixing the hollow knight not launching error:

1. Select the “System.xml” file from the game folder located within the File Explorer. Now right-click on it and open it with “Notepad.”

   

2. In the notepad, enter tag “<API>kSettingAPI_Vulkan</API>” and press the Ctrl+S keys to save the file.

   

7. Delete or Reset Config Files

The method of deleting or resetting configuration files for Hollow Knight involves removing or restoring the game's configuration data to its default state. Config files store user preferences for graphics and other settings. Resetting these files clears any corrupted or incompatible configurations that may cause games not launching steam.

Instructions. After accessing the game folder within the File Explorer, click on the setup file and right-click on it. Press the “Open With” option and select the “Notepad” option from the expanded list. Here, make changes to the file or delete it according to your preference. Once the configurations are updated, click the “Ctrl + S” keys to save the settings successfully.

8. Add to Antivirus/Firewall Exclusions

The method of adding Hollow Knight or any game to antivirus or firewall exclusions aims to prevent security software. Antivirus programs can mistakenly flag game executables or their components as threats, resulting in black screens. To learn how to resolve the hollow knight not launching error with this fix, read the steps mentioned below:

1. Access Windows Settings and go to the “Windows Security” section. From there, select “Virus & Threat Protection” to open your security options. Click on the “Manage Settings” link found within this section.

   

2. Scroll down until you reach the “Exclusions” section and click on “Add or Remove Exclusions.”

   

3. Click on the “Add an Exclusion” button and pick the specific file or folder you want to keep exempt from antivirus scans.

   

9. Reinstall the Game

The method of reinstalling a game like Hollow Knight involves removing the existing installation to eliminate the steam game not launching issue. Follow the steps mentioned below to learn how to delete and then install the game again within the Steam interface:

1. Access the “Apps” section within your device’s settings and open the list of “Installed Apps.” Locate Hollow Knight in the list, right-click it, and choose “Uninstall” to remove the game from your computer.

   

2. Open the Steam client, use the search bar to find “Hollow Knight,” then click the “Download” or “Install” button to reinstall the game freshly onto your device.

   

Pro Tip: Recover Lost Saves After Hollow Knight Not Launching or Stuck on Black Screen

If your saved game files go missing because of the hollow knight stuck on black screen error, you can get them back using tools like Recoverit. This efficient tool uses advanced technology to perform a deep scan within the storage device and recover severely damaged files. Moreover, users get the ability to search for a specific file by applying filters using the search bar.

The advanced functionality of the tool is not limited to Windows devices; it offers data recovery for more than 1M devices. It also provides the ability to recover entire zipped folders in one go to keep all the same files organized. Moreover, users can preview the file within Recoverit’s interface before saving it to their system.

Incredible Features Offered by Recoverit

1. Batch Data Recovery: Users can recover and save more than one file at once, saving time on recovering each file separately.
2. Multiple Formats Support: Recoverit provides data recovery for more than 1000 formats, including images and documents.
3. Advanced Recovery Mode: The advanced recovery mode runs a deep scan within your storage to recover heavily damaged files in no time.

Comprehensive Guide to Recover Game Files using Recoverit

As discussed, Recoverit offers a simple and effective solution to get back your damaged and lost game files instantly. To learn how to use this tool for game file recovery, read the steps mentioned below:

1. Choose the File Location

Once launched, select the game file location from the homepage and click on it. As soon as the location is selected, the tool will begin the scanning process to get all the recoverable files.

2. Select the Files and Recover

As the tool retrieves all the recoverable files, select the ones that were damaged or missing and press the "Recover" button located at the bottom.

3. Review and Export Game Files

Before saving the files, preview them within the tool’s interface, and once you are satisfied, hit the “Recover” button to successfully save them to your device.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, this article covered all the necessary methods you need to fix the hollow knight not launching or stuck on black screen issue. It also provided a complete guide on how to retrieve your game files that have been damaged or missing using tools like Recoverit.