ABSTRACTTo investigate the enhancement mechanism and effect of laser treatment on the performance of an interface between a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer and magnesium (CFRP/Mg), finite element simulations and experiments were conducted to demonstrate the macroscopic and microscopic failure processes of the laser-treated interface. Based on the high controllability of the groove parameters in laser machining, the quantitative relationship between the texture parameters and the shear properties of the CFRP/Mg interface was analyzed. In addition, shear tests and simulations of the laser-treated interfaces with different groove parameters were performed. Increasing the groove depth and decreasing the groove spacing effectively improved the shear strength of the CFRP/Mg interface. In addition, the reliability of the interface cohesion parameters obtained using the representative volume element model was verified by experiments and simulations, which is important for the application of laser technology to composite laminates.