Hollow Knight: Silksong has no official cheats that make the game easier. The only known code unlocks Steel Soul mode, and that makes the game harder instead. Community mods do exist on PC, but the game has no official mod support. This guide shows you how to enter the code, what applies on consoles, how Team Cherry views fan-made changes and, above all, how to back up your saves before you tinker with anything. As of 20 October 2026 (version 1.0.30000 on PC).
The only cheat code: Steel Soul
Silksong contains no codes that make the game easier. IGN and GamesRadar+ both describe the one code that does work. It unlocks Steel Soul, a mode without respawns in which a single death ends your save. Normally it only becomes available after you finish the game, but with the code you get it right away:
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open Extras in the main menu. |
| 2 | Quickly press Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right on the D-pad. |
| 3 | A sound plays to confirm the code. |
| 4 | Choose Steel Soul when you start a new game. |
Steel Soul already existed in Hollow Knight, and Team Cherry’s patch notes confirm it in Silksong. This code won’t make your life easier. Why Silksong is so demanding and what you can do about it without cheats is covered in our Silksong difficulty guide.
Consoles: PlayStation, Xbox and Switch
On PlayStation, Xbox and Switch you enter the Steel Soul code just like on PC, using the D-pad on your controller in the Extras menu. The game has no official mod support on any platform, and the community mods that outlets write about are made for PC.
PC mods: what exists and what doesn’t
Community mods exist
On PC, players make unofficial community modifications. Outlets mention examples such as mods that show boss health, let you teleport between benches or adjust the difficulty. These are fan projects, not part of the game, which is why we don’t name specific mods or explain how to install them.
No official mod support
Team Cherry doesn’t offer official mod support. Steam lists no Steam Workshop for the game, and neither Team Cherry’s blog nor its FAQ covers modding. That doesn’t mean mods are banned. It simply means the game has no official tools for them and the studio doesn’t provide support for them.
Team Cherry is friendly towards fans
The studio takes a welcoming approach to fan-made changes. The story of the Chinese translation shows this clearly:
- In Patch 2, Team Cherry recommended a fan translation mod to Chinese players.
- In Patch 4, it officially added that translation by Team Cart Fix to the game, replacing the original Simplified Chinese.
- In December 2025, the studio mentioned that it enjoys seeing community mods too.
Risks: what to watch and how to back up your saves
Mods are unofficial, and if one breaks something, Team Cherry won’t help you fix it. The official support page hollowknightsilksong.com/help does, however, describe a few things that matter for any change you make to the game:
- Save versions. A save you’ve opened in a newer version of the game can no longer be loaded in an older one. The game shows
Version Incompatible. - Autosaves overwrite. On the
Select Profilescreen in the main menu there’s a button listing your autosaves. Restoring an autosave overwrites your current save. - Your own backup. Before adding anything to the game, copy the whole save folder somewhere else.
You’ll find your saves here:
| System | Save folder |
|---|---|
| Windows | %USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight Silksong/ |
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/unity.Team-Cherry.Silksong/ |
| Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight Silksong/ |
For the Steam version, your saves sit in an extra subfolder named after your Steam ID. More technical details on the PC version are in our system requirements guide. The current game version and what each patch changed are listed in our updates overview, including the status of the Sea of Sorrow expansion.
Join our Discord to talk modding and Steel Soul runs with other players: GamersTogether Discord.
FAQ
It has no official cheats that make the game easier. The only known code unlocks Steel Soul mode, where a single death ends your save.
Open Extras in the main menu and quickly press Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right on the D-pad. After the sound, you can choose Steel Soul when starting a new game.
Not officially. There is no Steam Workshop and Team Cherry doesn’t document modding. Unofficial community mods do exist on PC, though, and the studio is welcoming towards fan-made changes.
The Steel Soul code works on console just like on PC. The game has no official mod support on any platform, and the community mods that outlets write about are made for PC.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides are waiting in our Silksong guides hub.