<p>Manufacturing, as a cornerstone of China’s economy, is profoundly embedded in carbon lock-in (CLI), while the integration of digital technologies (DTE) into low-carbon transformation has emerged as a critical solution to overcoming emission reduction challenges. This paper empirically assessed the impact of DTE on the CLI phenomenon in the manufacturing sector and investigated the mechanisms through which this effect operated, focusing on the optimization of energy structure and the enhancement of marketization level. On this basis, the spatial spillover effect is measured by spatial econometric model. The findings indicated that DTE exerted a substantial enabling effect on the decarbonization of manufacturing, although this impact varied significantly across regions, with pronounced effects in the central, western, and inland areas. Mechanism analysis revealed that DTE facilitated carbon decoupling in manufacturing by promoting energy structure optimization and advancing marketization. Moreover, the impact of DTE on manufacturing CLI was characterized by significant spatial spillover effects, with indirect effects substantially surpassing direct effects. This study offers valuable practical insights for the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing sector in the context of the Dual Carbon goals.</p>