ABSTRACT In this paper, the MMR effect on boundary layer flow characteristics within magneto-micropolar liquids is investigated. To date, magnetization was supposed to be parallel to applied magnetic field and consequently, its impact on the flow was neglected in almost all studies present in the literature. In this contribution, the theory of conducting micropolar liquids is employed to derive an initial-boundary-value problem (IBVP) with the presence of MMR effect. The obtained problem is implemented and analysed through MATLAB. It is observed that the skin-friction coefficient is reduced with the consideration of MMR effect. The relative difference in the skin-friction coefficient increases with increase in magnetization and is found approximately in the range 14.4% to 16.27%. In the absence of micro-inertia the micro-rotational and translational velocity profiles are decreased with increasing MMR effect. The obtained results evince that MMR effect, which has been neglected in earlier investigations, should be taken into account while investigating biomedical magnetized processes, polymer processing, spreading of thin films in coating and printing industry and other related industrial solutions through magnetic-micropolar framework. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the applications of magnetic micropolar liquids in heat absorption process through solar panels has potential applications in harnessing ambient energy.