Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of hot air drying at 130 °C on the quality characteristics and flavor formation of Grateloupia livida. Drying kinetics, nutritional composition, rehydration capacity, microstructure, and the variation patterns of volatile flavor components and lipid substances were systematically investigated. Results indicated that 130 ℃ hot air drying achieved complete dehydration of G. livida within 24 min, driven primarily by internal moisture diffusion. The dried product exhibited excellent rehydration performance (rehydration ratio: 12.0~12.5), while principal nutrients (e.g. polysaccharides, proteins) were well retained. However, obvious collapse and pore shrinkage occurred in the microstructure. A total of 89 volatile compounds were identified, Among them, the key aroma-active compounds with an odor activity value (OAV)>1 including 1-octen-3-one, (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal, α-ionone, β-ionone and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal. Lipidomics analysis detected 3790 lipids species, dominated by sphingolipids (SL), glycerophospholipids (GP), and glycolipids (GL). Twenty differential lipids (VIP>2), including PG(16:0_21:1)⁺Na and PG(18:3_21:1)⁺H, were screened as potential flavor precursors, participating in thermal oxidative cleavage and Maillard reactions to drive characteristic flavor formation. This study elucidateed the influence mechanisms of 130 ℃ hot air drying on the quality of G. livida, providing a theoretical foundation for the development of high-value flavored dried seaweed.