Objective To investigate the moisture migration patterns and quality changes of Aronia melanocarpa under different hot air drying temperatures.Methods The effects of hot air temperatures (60, 70, 80, and 90 ℃) on the drying curves and drying characteristic curves of A. melanocarpa were investigated. Eight commonly used drying models suitable for fruits and vegetables were selected for fitting, analysis, and validation to identify the optimal hot air drying model for A. melanocarpa. Water distribution status and changes during drying were analyzed using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) and imaging techniques. The effects of different drying temperatures on quality were evaluated based on total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, and anthocyanin content.Results The moisture ratio curve of A. melanocarpa exhibited exponential decay during drying, with the Weibull distribution model showing the best fit. At 90 ℃, the polyphenol content and flavonoid content were highest, at 0.044 6 mg/g and 0.0482 mg/g respectively, and antioxidant capacity peaked, with a DPPH radical scavenging rate of 11.159 6%. At 60 ℃, anthocyanin content was highest at 0.408 8 mg/g.Conclusion The optimal hot air drying temperature for A. melanocarpa is 90 ℃, under which the quality of A. melanocarpa is most prominent.