Haematococcus　pluvialis　accumulates　large　amounts　of　astaxanthin　during　its　haematocyst　stage.　Cyst　germination　is　a　biological　pretreatment　method　for　improved　astaxanthin　extraction　with　potential　to　replace　energy-intensive　homogenizer-based　mechanical　cell　cracking　methods.　The　present　study　demonstrates　effects　of　different　LED　light　wavelengths　on　haematocyst　germination　and　on　its　astaxanthin　biosynthesis　pathway.　Blue　light　enhanced　the　germination　efficiency　and　slowed　the　nitrogen　consumption　rate,　resulting　in　significantly　higher　astaxanthin　content　and　improved　extractability　compared　with　white　and　red　lights,　that　also　had　lower　germination　rates.　After　5　days,　the　total　astaxanthin　extractability　under　blue　light　was　4.0　and　6.7　times　higher　than　for　white　and　red　lights,　respectively.　The　blue　light　receptor　gene　phot　was　significantly　induced　which　upregulated　the　biosynthesis　pathway　genes　psy　and　pds,　as　well　as　dgat1　and　dgat2d.　Hence,　blue　light　triggers　germination　and　astaxanthin　biosynthesis,　providing　a　strategy　for　improved　extraction　while　modulating　higher　biosynthesis　during　germination.