Materials　and　device　strategies　to　form　inorganic,　thin-film,　microscale　light-emitting　diodes　(micro-LEDs)　are　presented　based　on　a　simplified　release　method.　High　performance　gallium　nitride　based　blue　micro-LEDs　are　fabricated　on　and　released　from　both　patterned　sapphire　substrates　(PSSs)　and　conventional　nonpatterned　sapphire　substrates　(CSSs).　Micro-LEDs　are　transferred　onto　copper　and　polyimide　based　flexible　substrates　and　their　electrical　and　optical　performances　are　maintained.　Thermal　properties　of　PSS　and　CSS　based　micro-LEDs　are　systematically　explored　on　different　substrates.　Finally,　micro-LEDs　combined　with　phosphor　coatings　demonstrate　capability　for　polychromatic　emission.　The　techniques　presented　here　provide　promising　paths　to　advanced　light　sources　with　potential　applications　in　lighting,　displays,　and　biomedicine.