The paper presents a novel approach to achieving persistent near-infrared (NIR) room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) by constructing host–guest systems using visible (host) and NIR phosphorescence (guest) materials. The host materials, with rigid crystalline structures, effectively suppress nonradiative transitions and promote phosphorescence emission through strong intermolecular interactions and energy transfer. The addition of NIR phosphorescent guests enhances the RTP lifetimes by up to ten times compared to the guests alone. This method is demonstrated to be universal, as it works with various luminogens and shows significant improvement in afterglow imaging with deeper penetration and higher signal-to-background ratios (SBRs). The study provides a convenient way to prolong the phosphorescence lifetimes of NIR luminogens, making them suitable for advanced bioimaging applications.The paper presents a novel approach to achieving persistent near-infrared (NIR) room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) by constructing host–guest systems using visible (host) and NIR phosphorescence (guest) materials. The host materials, with rigid crystalline structures, effectively suppress nonradiative transitions and promote phosphorescence emission through strong intermolecular interactions and energy transfer. The addition of NIR phosphorescent guests enhances the RTP lifetimes by up to ten times compared to the guests alone. This method is demonstrated to be universal, as it works with various luminogens and shows significant improvement in afterglow imaging with deeper penetration and higher signal-to-background ratios (SBRs). The study provides a convenient way to prolong the phosphorescence lifetimes of NIR luminogens, making them suitable for advanced bioimaging applications.