<p>With the ambitious commitment to carbon neutrality and the rapid strides in digital development, it becomes imperative to estimate the pivotal role of digital economy in actualizing the vision of a low-carbon economy for China. However, a significant gap remains in understanding how the digital economy influences carbon emission efficiency (CEE), particularly when accounting for varying development stages and spatial heterogeneity. Therefore, this study undertakes an investigation into the link between the digital economy and CEE, considering diverse development stages and spatial variations across 21 cities in Guangdong. Utilizing panel quantile regression and geographically and temporally weighted regression models from 2011 to 2019, the analysis uncovers distinct effects of the digital economy on CEE across development stages and regions. The results indicate that the digital economy has a generally positive effect, especially in cities with lower efficiency levels. Notably, in the Pearl River Delta region, marked by a higher digital economy index, the positive impact is consistently robust. Conversely, in non-Pearl River Delta regions, the influence weakens, with some cities even experiencing a negative effect. The study provides valuable recommendations for policymakers to strategically integrate digital economy advancements with environmental sustainability efforts, particularly in tailoring approaches to different urban contexts and development stages to effectively enhance overall carbon emission efficiency.</p>