Abstract: Inorganic amendments are important measures to alleviate soil acidification, yet the extent of their impacts on soil pH and the key driving factors remains unclear. This study quantifies the effects of applying inorganic amendments on pH through meta-analysis and investigates the key driving factors influencing the response of pH to inorganic amendments using random forest analysis. The results indicate that compared to no inorganic amendments, the application of inorganic amendments significantly increases soil pH by 13.0%, and the magnitude of the increase is influenced by factors such as climate, soil properties, and management practices. Lime-based amendments are more effective at increasing pH compared to non-lime inorganic amendments, with the combination of lime and gypsum achieving the highest enhancement. The effect on soil pH increases with the rate (converted to CaO equivalent) and duration of inorganic amendment application. The highest pH increase occurs when the mean annual temperature is less than 10 ℃ and the annual mean precipitation is between 800 and 1600 mm. As the initial soil pH and organic carbon content increase, the effect of applying inorganic amendments on soil pH gradually weakens. The pH increase is the lowest in rice paddies or when planting rice, whereas the effect of inorganic amendments on soil pH is more pronounced when organic fertilizers are applied alone. Random forest analysis shows that the dosage, crop type, initial soil pH, and duration of inorganic amendment application are key driving factors affecting the response of pH to inorganic amendments, with management factors accounting for the largest proportion (54.8%), followed by soil properties and climate condition, accounting for 32.2% and 13.0%, respectively. Therefore, when applying inorganic amendments to improve soil pH, besides considering the dosage and crop type, the differential characteristics of soil properties and climatic conditions should be comprehensively considered. Simultaneously, it is necessary to optimize the application of inorganic amendments according to the planting system and fertilization type, thereby achieving both soil acidification amelioration and efficient resource utilization.