The effects of air frying with rapid air circulation on the quality of lightly pre-fried Zhoushan hairtail were studied. The oil content and sensory properties of hairtail after pre-frying at 160, 170, and 180 ℃ for 20, 40, and 60 s were determined. The results revealed that hairtail pre-fried at 170 ℃ for 20 s had a relatively low oil content (8.25%) and the highest sensory score. Following this step, pre-fried hairtail was air-fried at 190 ℃ for 12, 16, and 20 min, and the sensory properties, texture, color difference, moisture content, water activity, free amino acid content, and microstructure were determined. The moisture content and water activity decreased as air-frying time increased. The redness and yellowness values increased, and brightness decreased obviously. The content of free amino acids rose significantly (P<0.05). Hematoxylin and Eosin staining revealed that longer air frying times lead to larger gaps between muscle fibers, muscle fiber breakage, and a significant decline in muscle fiber integrity. The highest sensory scores were obtained at 16 min of air frying. The hairtail had a golden color, good elasticity (0.68 mm) and hardness (791.67 g), and intact and compact muscle fibers. In conclusion, based on the above findings and the sensory evaluation results, pre-frying hairtail at 170 ℃ for 20 s followed by air frying at 190 ℃ for 16 min is recommended. This study can provide insights into different heat treatment methods for hairtail.