Self-healing　cementitious　materials　are　a　promising　means　for　ensuring　sustainable　concrete　infrastructure　and　promoting　long-term　service　lives.　To　obtain　microcapsules　that　are　versatile　in　varying　environments,　in　this　study,　absorbing　microcapsules　with　calcium　alginate　as　the　shell　and　epoxy　resin　as　the　core　were　prepared.　The　absorbing　microcapsules　exhibit　self-healing　and　can　reduce　the　shrinkage　of　cementitious　materials.　Volume　changes　of　the　microcapsules　in　the　hardened　paste　with　increasing　hydration　age　were　observed　using　three-dimensional　X-ray　computed　tomography.　In　the　hardened　cement　paste　with　a　water-cement　ratio　of　0.29,　the　absorption　of　the　microcapsules　lasted　for　several　days,　and　the　release　of　water　lasted　for　28　days.　The　absorption　of　microcapsules　affected　the　fluidity　of　cement　paste,　and　it　was　significantly　weakened　and　delayed　due　to　the　lower　absorption　rate.　The　addition　of　absorbing　microcapsules　significantly　reduced　the　autogenous　and　drying　shrinkage　of　mortars.　For　microcapsules　with　a　core　content　of　55%　added　at　3.5%　of　cement　weight,　autogenous　shrinkage　was　almost　eliminated.　Most　importantly,　the　addition　of　absorbing　microcapsules　could　achieve　a　certain　degree　of　recovery　of　compressive　strength　as　well　as　satisfactory　recovery　of　impermeability　in　dry　and　wet　environments.