Objective To explore the effects of permeation conditions with sucrose solution on the textural quality of Malus doumeri (Bois) Chev. fruit chips dried by vacuum microwave.Methods Fresh M. doumeri fruit chips are subjected to permeation treatment with permeating agents with different sugar content (20, 35, and 50 °Brix) and at different permeation temperatures (30, 65, and 100 ℃). Then, the pretreated samples are dried by vacuum microwave. The texture quality of dried M. doumeri fruit chips is evaluated regarding the color, texture, expansion rate, apparent density, volume ratio, and pore size distribution.Results The M. doumeri fruit chips pretreated by the permeating agent with 35 °Brix show the best color. The fruit chips pretreated by the permeating agent with 50 °Brix display the lowest hardness and chewiness, the highest crispness and volume ratio, and the highest expansion rate (118.80%). The fruit chips pretreated by permeation at 100 ℃ and then dried by vacuum microwave demonstrate moderate hardness and chewiness and an expansion rate of 89.37%. Moreover, they have higher apparent density, volume ratio, and specific surface area. After permeation under different conditions, the pore size distribution of M. doumeri fruit chips is within the range of 2~50 nm, which indicates a mesoporous pore size.Conclusion The optimal permeation conditions for M. doumeri fruit chips are the permeating agent with 50 °Brix and the permeation temperature of 100 ℃.