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Alpine grasslands have undergone severe degradation over the past half century. Investigating the changes in soil microbial communities is crucial for developing effective restoration strategies in degraded grassland. In this study, we synthesize data from 36 studies worldwide and show that soil microbial alpha and beta diversity did not show significant response to grassland degradation. However, we found increases in the relative abundance of bacteria related to adaptation to extreme environments, e.g., Gemmatimonadetes, but decreases in the relative abundance of sensitive fungi taxa (e.g., Basidiomycota) following degradation. Additionally, we observed a decline in soil functions related to nitrogen decomposition and fixation under heavy degradation. Overall, these findings advance our understanding of the impact of grassland degradation on soil microbial communities and their functions across a large scale. This study highlights the importance of restoring soil microbial communities in degraded grasslands to sustain soil function. Future rese arch should develop suitable practices associated with microbial inoculation or regulation to facilitate grassland restoration.