Sharp pain in the knee while squatting.

My first two pieces of advice would be:

1. Video yourself from side and front. Self-evaluation of form is notoriously unreliable.

2. Try box squats. It will decrease the extent you stress the knee with stretch reflex.

The most common situation is knee valgus. An extreme example in this photo.

It isn't form. I've been lifting for almost 20 years and know what it looks and feels like when form goes bad. For one thing, the "heavy" weight that I'm on now isn't enough to cause muscle fatigue where I would lose form.

For example, today I was only supposed to hit 8 reps at 225. I could only get to 6 before the knee pain was too much. Muscles were fine.

ETA: The box squats are a good idea.

ETA2: It isn't a gradual buildup of pain either. I can bang out 5 reps fine, then on the 6th one it'll hit, and attempt a 7th and half to wrack it.

Make sure your body is primed & things like your glutes are firing especially after time off & if you sit for work

Ankles
Hips
Glutes
Quads

My wife can roll out her quad & her knee pain dissipates

I’m a big stiff lug when I’m not doing yoga.

I like to sit in a bottom of squat to get a feel for what’s tight. Hold a pole & get into position & listen to your body.

Banded glute bridges really get my back side ready, and when they are firing, I can feel the extra power that relieves pressure on quads & knees.

Pigeon pose or a couch stretch are simple hip/quad openers.

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Covid really did a number on my leg gains and as a result I cut my squats and dead lifts down 40% to build back gradually. I'm not having any problems bouncing back except for my squats.

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For example, today I was only supposed to hit 8 reps at 225. I could only get to 6 before the knee pain was too much. Muscles were fine.

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First off, if 8 reps at 225 is a cut to 40% you must be quite the lifter, congrats.

For advice, try adding a dynamic warm-up, something simple like BW walking lunges. I find KB swings are a good a good warm-up for me for squats and deads and forces me to get my glutes firing.

Chalk it up to just getting older. If you haven’t been lifting during the shutdown it could be that your PCL or ACL tendons are showing your age. Too much strain too quickly on your ligaments. Maybe drop the weight more to try to get 12-15 reps to get your ligaments and tendons back in shape.