A friction stirring welding to joint 5 mm rolled AZ31 magnesium had been developed. The microstructures in various regions including the weld nugget, thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) were investigated and compared with unaffected parent metal using optical microscopy. The results showed that the heat and mechanical process had great effect on the microstructure evolution. In weld nugget, the heat was enough to produce sufficient superplastic material flow and the mechanical effect was greatest, and the dynamic recrystallization was completed thoroughly. In TMAZ, the mechanical effect was indirectly affected by the welding tool and only some grains had undergone dynamic recrystallization. The various regions were studied in detail to better understand the microstructural evolution during friction stirring welding (FSW). The cross section near the “key hole” showed clear onion rings because the material was stirred only by the rotation of the probe and materials rotated A friction stirring welding to joint 5 mm rolled AZ31 magnesium had been developed. The microstructures in various regions including the weld nugget, thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) were investigated and compared with unaffected parent metal using optical microscopy. The results showed that the heat and mechanical process had great effect on the microstructure evolution. In weld nugget, the heat was enough to produce sufficient superplastic material flow and the mechanical effect was greatest, and the dynamic recrystallization was completed thoroughly. In TMAZ , the mechanical effect was highly affected by the welding tool and only some grains had undergone dynamic recrystallization. The various sections were studied in detail to better understand the microstructural evolution during friction stirring welding (FSW). The cross section near the “key hole ”showed clear onion rings because the material was stirred only by the rotation of the probe and materials rotated