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This paper reports a study of the effects of different concealed bracing materials on the seismic performance of short-legged shear walls and presents the results of low-frequency cyclic loading tests on three L-shaped short-leg shear walls—one wall without concealed bracing and the other two with concealed bracing materials of steel bars and SMA bars, respectively. The tests were aimed mainly at analyzing the effects of different concealed bracing materials on seismic performance indicators such as crack pattern, bearing capacity, ductility, hysteresis performance, stiffness, and energy dissipation of the L-shaped short-leg shear walls. The results revealed that their seismic performance with concealed bracing was better than without concealed bracing. The short-leg shear walls with SMA bar concealed bracing had the lowest number of cracks and the smallest crack width, and the effect of delaying the development of cracks was more evident. The short-leg shear walls with steel reinforcement and SMA-bar concealed bracing were better in bearing capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity, with, respectively, 11% and 26.3% increase in ultimate load, 4% and 18.6% increase in ultimate displacement, and 12% and 28% increase in energy dissipation. It can be seen that setting concealed bracing effectively enhances the seismic performance of short-leg shear walls, and that short-leg shear walls with concealed SMA bar bracing have the most significant improvement in seismic performance. • The low-frequency cyclic loading tests on three L-shaped short-leg shear walls with different concealed bracing materials were conducted. • The effects of different concealed bracing materials on seismic performance indicators of the L-shaped short-leg shear walls were explored. • The short-leg shear walls with concealed SMA bar bracing have the most significant improvement in seismic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]