The paper aims to explore the innovative ideas and paths of Macao junior high school history textbook cover design. The paper analyzes the problems existing in the cover design of junior high school history textbooks in Macao and studies the new compiling ideas and audience groups. On the basis of inheriting the scientific and rigorous design tradition of mainland textbooks, the paper combines the characteristics of the times and the characteristics of history to explore the feasibility of design innovation in terms of design ideas and expression forms. The cover design of junior high school history textbooks in Macao not only conveys the teaching content, but also shows the temperament and meaning of history textbooks, which makes students have emotional resonance, and then stimulates interest in learning. The innovation of textbook cover design should be based on the subject content and specific groups of students. Designers should not only change their ideas, attach importance to creative thinking, innovate forms of expression and pay attention to incorporating the Chinese traditional culture subtly into the cover design, but also adapt to the new time to improve their own comprehensive literacy and constantly push out the old and bring in the new in order to better serve the general primary and secondary school students.