Home-field advantage (HFA) hypothesis proposes that specific interactions between the litter and microbial communities lead to faster mass loss in home habitats than in away habitats. However, the effects of HFA on the decomposition of individual carbon (C) fractions with distinct chemical structures remain largely unexplored. In particular, it remains unclear to what extent litter-layer microbial communities–shaped by interactions between litter and soil microbial communities–drive the fraction-specific manifestation of HFA during litter C decomposition. In this study, a 480-day reciprocal litter transplant experiment was conducted across forest and cropland ecosystems. The effect of HFA on the loss of four C fractions (dissolved organic carbon, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) with varying chemical qualities, as well as the role of litter-layer microbial communities in this process, was assessed using four litter types: two forest litters (Schima superba and Castanopsis fargesii) and two cropland litters (Zea mays and Eleusine indica). HFA significantly accelerated the loss of both total litter mass and individual C fractions, with particularly strong effects on recalcitrant lignin. Litter-layer microbial communities were the key drivers of HFA, as microbial community dissimilarity between the home and away sites showed a significant negative correlation with HFA for the loss of lignin. Moreover, a higher abundance of specific fungal taxa at home sites accelerated the C fraction decomposition, whereas specific bacterial taxa suppressed decomposition. These findings suggest that HFA differentially affects the decomposition of individual C fractions, which is likely mediated by specific litter-layer microbial communities at home sites. Overall, this study highlights the importance of recalcitrant C substrates and litter-layer fungal taxa in shaping HFA, thereby providing new insights into the microbial mechanisms governing litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems.