【Objective】 Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are important beneficial microorganisms in soil ecosystems, and their ecological functions have been extensively studied. However, a comprehensive evaluation on the impact of AMF on soil quality is still lacking. 【Method】 In this study, we conducted a bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace and a meta-analysis based on 4, 854 articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2003 to 2023, aiming to systematically summarize the research progress on the effects of AMF on soil quality and to quantify their comprehensive effects on soil physicochemical and biological properties across different ecosystems and environmental conditions. 【Result】 The results revealed a steady increase in the number of publications over the past two decades, indicating growing research interest in this field. The top ten contributing countries in terms of publication size were China, the United States, India, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Spain, Canada, Italy, and France. Notably, China experienced a sharp rise in publication output after 2016, significantly surpassing other countries and becoming a major driving force in the field. Research during this period primarily focused on soil properties, nutrient uptake, glomalin-related soil proteins, elevated CO? concentrations, phytoremediation, and AMF colonization rates. The research emphasis has gradually shifted from enhanced plant nutrient acquisition by AMF to its broader implications for soil ecosystem sustainability. Meta-analysis results showed that AMF inoculation had stronger effects on biological properties than on physicochemical traits. Specifically, AMF significantly enhanced soil bacterial (including actinomycete) abundance, enzyme activities, and plant biomass, and increased soil organic matter and nutrient availability. In contrast, its effect on soil bulk density and pH was not significant. The positive impact of AMF on soil quality was modulated by factors such as fertilization, inoculum source, soil sterilization status, and inoculation timing. 【Conclusion】This study provides a systematic synthesis of the effects of AMF inoculation on soil physicochemical and biological properties, and offers insights into the development of comprehensive indicators for evaluating soil quality improvement by AMF. The findings serve as a scientific basis for promoting the application of AMF in sustainable agriculture and ecological restoration.