Older adults are more likely to be excluded from the digital world at the advent of the big data era, which is likely to affect their health status. Focusing on a group of Chinese older adults aged 60 and above, this study explored the relationship between digital exclusion and cognitive ability among Chinese older adults by analyzing data from the China Health and Aging Research Tracking Survey (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2018, and applying generalized estimating equation modeling fitted to a Poisson model, and the results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between digital exclusion and cognitive ability (β = -2.61, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses adequately demonstrated that low education level reinforces the negative relationship between digital exclusion and cognitive functioning. The results of this study suggest that the usability and inclusiveness of digital technologies should be enhanced to further increase the level of education of the public, which can help maintain and improve the cognitive health of older adults.