The middle Heihe River Basin is located in the arid-semiarid transitional zone of Gansu Province, northwestern China, where severe wind erosion has resulted in a fragile ecological environment. This study analyzed spatiotemporal patterns and driving factors of soil wind erosion from 2003 to 2023 using the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) and Geodetector. The findings reveal that the multi-year average wind erosion rate was 23.93 kg m(-2) a(-1), while the reduction in soil loss exhibited a significant increasing trend, rising by 152% over 20 years. Spatially, the severity of soil wind erosion increased gradually from the southeastern to the northwestern parts of the study area, with high-intensity zones concentrated in barren lands and the Gobi desert. High sand stabilization zones were primarily distributed in croplands and grasslands within oases. Vegetation coverage (q = 0.91, p < 0.05) was the key natural driver, and the intensity of ecological restoration (q = 0.68, p < 0.05) was the key anthropogenic driver. Their interaction effect (q = 0.95, p < 0.05) was the most prominent, facilitating regional ecological restoration. Future efforts should enhance synergies between vegetation restoration and engineering measures in high-risk zones.