Abstract Organic photoactivatable luminescent materials emerge as transformative tools across optoelectronics, biomedicine, and information technology, offering spatiotemporal control, dynamic tunability, and multifunctional responsiveness. This review systematically categorizes molecular design strategies into photochemical (photoisomerization, photocleavage, photodehydrogenation, photodimerization, and radical generation) and photophysical (deoxygenation and molecular conformation/packing modulation) approaches, highlighting their mechanisms, advantages, and limitations. Photochemical strategies leverage structural transformations to activate fluorescence yet face challenges such as aggregation‐caused quenching and incomplete conversion. Photophysical strategies modulate emission via environmental changes or molecular motions, enabling oxygen‐sensitive or packing‐dependent dynamic phosphorescence, but require precise control over photophysical processes. The review further explores cutting‐edge applications ranging from advanced bioimaging and phototherapy to multifunctional photopatterning and high‐security encryption systems. A critical analysis of current challenges is presented, accompanied by forward‐looking research directions to address existing limitations. By summarizing state‐of‐the‐art developments with insightful perspectives, this review serves as both a reference for current research and a strategic guide for future innovation in photoactivatable luminescent materials, paving the way for next‐generation smart devices and transformative applications.
Li et al. (Tue,) studied this question.