<p>The residential sector plays a pivotal role in global warming, as it accounts for a substantial portion of total carbon emissions. Information consumption has emerged as a novel consumption paradigm with the evolution of the digital economy. It has significantly impacted the living patterns of inhabitants, which are closely tied to daily carbon emissions. Leveraging panel data from Chinese prefecture-level cities (2009–2021) and a difference-in-differences (DID) design, this study examines the impact of China’s Information Consumption Pilot Policy (ICPP) on residential carbon emissions, along with its mechanisms, threshold effects, and heterogeneity. The findings demonstrate that: (1) The ICPP can significantly reduce residential carbon emissions, with robustness confirmed by various tests. (2) Mediation analysis identifies two pathways, lifestyle changes and improved energy efficiency, while consumption levels partially offset these benefits. (3) Threshold analysis reveals that as the digital infrastructure continues to be refined and upgraded, the effect of the ICPP on residential carbon emissions exhibits an increasing marginal trend. (4) The heterogeneity analysis shows that information consumption has a more significant carbon reduction effect on non-resource-based cities and cities in the plains area. This study offers empirical insights for carbon governance in the residential sector.</p>