<p>Dried mushrooms, valued for their rich nutrition and unique flavor, are major mushroom products due to their extended shelf life. However, quality decline during the drying and storage processes limits their edible and commercial value, necessitating efficient monitoring and regulation techniques. This paper summarizes the nutritional and flavor components of dried mushrooms, comprehensively analyzes the main challenges they face, discusses novel light technologies (ultraviolet light, visible light, pulsed light, and γ-rays) in pre- and post-drying processes and their action mechanisms. Furthermore, it emphasizes the application of AI in dried mushroom production. Generally, nutritional content is lower compared to that of fresh mushrooms, and aldehydes, sulfur-containing, and pyrazine compounds are the dominant aroma components. Mildew growth, flavor deterioration, and nutrient losses as well as the inadequate development of novel pre- and post-treatment limit the development of the dried mushroom industry. Novel light techniques, which exhibit significant potential in improving drying efficiency, enhancing flavor, and achieving active sterilization, are attributed to photochemical and photothermal reactions, and spore activation. Notably, the application of AI, including mathematical modeling, machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision has enabled online quality monitoring. Future research should focus on integrating AI with multiple algorithms to achieve comprehensive quality monitoring and precise regulation. It is also essential to explore the application of AI in optimizing optical processing techniques. This review provides a framework for quality regulation of dried mushrooms.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>