The　performance　and　durability　of　recycled　aggregate　concrete　(RAC)　are　significantly　impacted　by　the　saturation　degree　of　recycled　coarse　aggregate　(RCA).　This　study　examines　RCA　pre-wetting　strategies　and　their　effects　on　RAC＇s　microstructure　and　performance　under　two　water　control　strategies:　consistent　mixing　water　supply　and　consistent　total　water　supply.　Key　findings　show　that　RCA　pre-wetting　markedly　influences　cement　hydration,　altering　RAC＇s　microstructure　in　both　scenarios.　Under　consistent　mixing　water　supply,　increased　moisture　in　RCA　enhances　cement　hydration　but　raises　porosity　in　the　interfacial　transition　zone　(ITZ)　and　mortar　by　up　to　28　%　and　51.22　%,　leading　to　reduced　microhardness　and　mechanical　performance,　despite　an　enhanced　concrete　slump　by　up　to　38.46　%.　Conversely,　with　a　consistent　total　water　supply,　although　hydration　is　less　complete,　this　method　yields　lower　porosity　in　the　ITZ　and　mortar　(up　to　23.03　%　and　23.53　%　reductions),　improving　microhardness,　mechanical　performance,　and　reducing　the　chloride　diffusivity.　Optimal　performance　is　observed　with　partially　saturated　RCA　(around　80　%)　in　this　scenario,　under　which　the　compressive　and　flexural　strength　are　10.4　%　and　7.35　%　higher　while　the　rapid　chloride　ion　diffusion　coefficient　7.32　%　lower　than　the　reference.　The　study　further　highlights　that　RCA　pre-wetting　impacts　RAC＇s　microstructure　more　significantly　under　consistent　mixing　water　supply　compared　to　total　water　supply,　though　differences　diminish　over　time.　A　refined　water　absorption/desorption　model　for　RCA　is　introduced,　providing　insights　into　how　different　water　supply　schemes　affect　RCA＇s　water　absorption　and　desorption　behavior　across　varying　initial　saturation　levels.　This　research　underscores　the　need　to　tailor　RCA　pre-wetting　techniques　to　optimize　RAC　performance　under　different　water　management　strategies　and　suggests　areas　for　future　study　on　the　detailed　moisture　release　timing　of　RCA.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd