<p>The stability of hydraulic powered supports in inclined coal seams is critical for ensuring the safety and efficiency of coal mining, especially as these seams constitute a significant portion of China’s high-quality coking coal reserves. Despite their importance, inclined seams are associated with unique challenges due to their geological formations, which often result in uneven stress distributions, roof collapses, and risks of support failure. However, current research lacks a comprehensive analysis of how these stress distributions affect the stability of hydraulic supports in inclined seams. This study focuses on the ZouZhuang coal mine’s 7401 working face, employing a combination of theoretical analysis, physical modeling, numerical simulation, and field measurements to evaluate the behavior of hydraulic supports under different roof conditions. The UDEC Trigon model was used to simulate the impact of seam dip angles on support stability, considering variables such as coal seam inclination, roof pressure, and support height. Key findings indicate that hydraulic supports are more prone to collapse when the roof is broken, and the degree of roof breakage significantly influences the displacement and failure modes of the supports. The study demonstrates that support stability decreases as the dip angle increases, with critical failure points identified at specific support heights and seam inclinations. Numerical simulations confirmed that the limiting mining angle is a key determinant of support stability, and real-world data from the ZouZhuang mine corroborated the model’s predictions. The unique contribution of this research lies in its multi-method approach, providing actionable insights into optimizing hydraulic support systems in inclined coal seams. These findings enhance the overall safety and operational efficiency of coal mining in such challenging environments.</p>