This thematic synthesis aims to analyze the qualitative evidence provided by earlier empirical studies to achieve a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the factors influencing students’ online learning experiences through the lens of the Community of Inquiry framework. Following a three-stage procedure specified by Thomas and Harden (2008), we started with 3641 potential studies and then (1) coded all studies meeting inclusion criteria (n = 35); (2) developed descriptive themes based on the codes; and (3) generated analytical themes based on the descriptive themes. The results revealed ten descriptive themes that can be grouped into three overarching categories (i.e., course design, instructor actions, and student actions) that are related to the Community of Inquiry framework. Analytical themes included accountability, being real, and supporting learning process. These conceptual insights provide both theoretical and practical implications as well as directions for future research.