High temperatures resulting from global climate change are severely constraining the development of the apple industry in the semi-arid region of northern China. Although micro-spray mist can improve orchard microclimate, the mechanistic response of apple growth and physiology to micro-spray mist regulation is still unclear. The experiment utilized the apple cultivar 'Yanfu 8', three micro-spray position levels (H1: upper canopy layer; H2: middle canopy layer; H3: lower canopy layer) and four mist duration levels (T1: 2.0 h; T2: 1.5 h; T3: 1.0 hour; T4: 0.5 h) were set up. Results indicated that while all micro-spray treatments improved the orchard microclimate, extending the misting duration from 1.5 h (T2) to 2.0 h (T1) led to tiny cooling and humidification benefits. Compared with H2T1, H2T2 exhibited superior net photosynthetic rate, leaf water use efficiency, soluble solids content, shape index and yield. The comprehensive evaluation results indicate that the RSR values were 0.950 for H2T2 and 0.831 for H2T3, ranking them as the top two treatments and classifying both as optimal grade. This means that placing the sprinkler in the middle of the canopy and using micro-spray mist for 1.5 h is an effective irrigation strategy on the growth of young trees. Under water scarcity, 1.0 h micro-spray mist is an efficient substitute. This study identifies the efficient micro-spray mist regulation measure to promote high apple yields under high-temperature conditions, providing practical guidance for orchard management.