<p>Digital learning has evolved into a crucial and inescapable aspect of higher education, making it critical to examine students’ learning experiences in such environments. While digital learning has received attention from scholars, limited research has explored how mandatory digital learning affects students’ engagement via cognitive and emotional pathways. Drawing on the information overload theory and cognitive resource depletion theory, this research examines the effects of mandatory digital learning on digital learning load, digital learning anxiety, digital learning burnout, and digital learning engagement. It also tests the moderating effect of digital learning isolation on the relationship between burnout and engagement. A longitudinal survey design was adopted, collecting data from 425 students at two time points (T1 and T2) in higher vocational colleges in China. Paired sample T-tests were conducted to examine changes over time, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The T-test results showed that the means of these constructs changed significantly. The PLS-SEM results showed that mandatory digital learning significantly increased digital learning load and digital learning anxiety, which in turn positively predicted digital learning burnout and negatively predicted digital learning engagement. Furthermore, digital learning isolation positively moderated the negative effect of burnout on engagement. The findings offer novel insights into how mandatory digital learning can negatively impact students’ online learning experiences. Institutions should consider redesigning digital learning environments to release learning overload, reduce anxiety, and foster more socially connected learning ecosystems, thereby protecting students’ engagement.</p>