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BACKGROUND: Anthocyanins are susceptible to degradation due to external factors. Despite the potential for improved anthocyanin stability with whey protein isolate (WPI), the specific effects of individual components within WPI on the stability of anthocyanins have yet to be studied extensively. This study investigated the interaction of WPI, β‐lactoglobulin (β‐Lg), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and lactoferrin (LF) with cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside (C3G), and also considered their effects on stability. RESULTS: Fluorescence analysis revealed static quenching effects between C3G and WPI, β‐Lg, BSA, and LF. The binding constants were 1.923 × 103 L · mol⁻¹ for WPI, 24.55 × 103 L · mol⁻¹ for β‐Lg, 57.25 × 103 L · mol⁻¹ for BSA, and 1.280 × 103 L · mol⁻¹ for LF. Hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and electrostatic attraction were the predominant forces in the interactions between C3G and WPI and between C3G and BSA. Hydrophobic interaction was the main binding force in the interaction between C3G and β‐Lg and between C3G and LF. The binding of C3G with WPI, β‐Lg, BSA, and LF was driven by different thermodynamic parameters. Enthalpy changes (∆H) were −38.76 kJ · mol⁻¹ for WPI, −17.59 kJ · mol⁻¹ for β‐Lg, −16.09 kJ · mol⁻¹ for BSA, and 39.50 kJ · mol⁻¹ for LF. Entropy changes (∆S) were −67.21 J · mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ for WPI, 3.72 J · mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ for β‐Lg, 37.09 J · mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ for BSA, and 192.04 J · mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ for LF. The addition of C3G influenced the secondary structure of the proteins. The decrease in the α‐helix content suggested a disruption and loosening of the hydrogen bond network structure. The presence of proteins enhanced the light stability and thermal stability (stability in the presence of light and heat) of C3G. In vitro simulated digestion experiments demonstrated that the addition of proteins led to a delayed degradation of C3G and to improved antioxidant capacity. CONCLUSION: The presence of WPI and its components enhanced the thermal stability, light stability, and oxidation stability of C3G. Preheated proteins exhibited a more pronounced effect than unheated proteins. These findings highlight the potential of preheating protein at appropriate temperatures to preserve C3G stability and bioactivity during food processing. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]