Smoke damage to murals presents significant challenges to related research, and conducting in-depth studies on smoke damage is of great importance for mural conservation. In this study, by combining infrared photography with micro-area XRF surface scanning, we investigated smoke-damaged murals in the Kalachakra Temple of the Potala Palace. The obtained data not only revealed the content, style, painting school, and inscriptions of the murals obscured by soot, but also simultaneously displayed the pigment element distribution of the covered areas. The combined results of these two methods could provide valuable data support for the study, conservation, condition assessment, and restoration of smoke-damaged murals, offering important reference for uncovering the cultural and historical value of murals.