Coal mining-induced subsidence and mining-induced cracks significantly disturb soil moisture dynamics in the arid Loess Plateau, yet the multi-scale mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study integrates field monitoring, soil experiments, physical simulations, and numerical modeling to systematically investigate how mining-induced cracks affect soil moisture redistribution. Dynamic monitoring of cracks at different scales (micro, small, medium, large) throughout their formation-development-stabilization process revealed distinct evolution characteristics: micro/small cracks stabilized slowly (similar to 20 days), while medium/large cracks developed rapidly (8-10 days), with crack width and proximity jointly determining soil moisture loss rates. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and soil water characteristic curve analyses demonstrated that surface mining-induced cracks alter loess microstructure, leading to (1) looser particle arrangement with reduced particle size and shifted contact patterns (from line-line to point-point/line), (2) increased porosity (large pores: + 10.49%-25.89%; large-diameter pores: + 7.08-9.66%) and connectivity, accelerating evaporation/infiltration, and (3) weakened aggregate interactions and reduced water retention capacity (micro-cracks > small > medium > large). Hydrus-2D simulations incorporating a dual-domain model effectively captured preferential flow patterns near cracks, with results aligning well with field measurements (high R2, low RMSE). The findings highlight the synergistic effects of crack evolution and microstructure collapse on soil hydraulic properties, providing critical insights for ecological restoration in mining-disturbed loess regions.