Abstract: Composite materials undergo a series of physical and chemical reactions in high-temperature environments, and the matrix and matrix-fiber interface will be damaged after high-temperature pyrolysis. Such pyrolytic damage reduces the mechanical properties of composite materials, thereby affecting the load-bearing capacity of the structure. To investigate the influences of high-temperature pyrolytic damage on the residual strength of compression after impact (CAI) of carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composite (CFRP) laminates, this study conducted a series of pyrolysis experiments and CAI tests on CFRP laminates under different high-temperature conditions. Various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultrasonic C-scan, and digital image correlation (DIC), were utilized to explore the influence mechanism of high-temperature pyrolysis damage on the residual compressive strength and failure modes of CFRP laminates after impact. The results indicated that when the pyrolysis-induced weight loss rates of CFRP laminated samples were 0.35%, 1.4%, 4.8% and 9.2%, their related residual compressive strengths after impact decreased by 7.49%, 36.61%, 54.51% and 89.43%, respectively, compared to non-pyrolyzed samples. As the pyrolysis degree of composite materials increases, the impact resistance and residual compressive strength of CFRP laminates after high-temperature pyrolysis gradually decrease, especially when the pyrolysis temperature exceeds above 250℃, the impact resistance performance of CFRP laminates shows a significant decrease. This is due to the initiation and development of pyrolysis pores, as well as the different directions of thermal stress between/within layers, which can cause significant delamination damage and intralaminar cracks inside the composite materials, further leading to the degradation of mechanical properties and interlayer performance of the composite materials. With the gradual increase of pyrolysis damage of CFRP composite materials, the CAI failure mode of CFRP laminates with pyrolysis damage mainly transitions from local buckling-induced shear failure to delamination failure caused by interlayer property reduction. The experimental results can provide valuable guidance for structural design and safety assessment of composite materials in high-temperature pyrolytic environments.