A photographing optical lens assembly includes seven lens elements, which are, in order from an object side to an image side along an optical path: a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element, a sixth lens element and a seventh lens element. The first lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element with positive refractive power has an image-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The fifth lens element has an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. The sixth lens element has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The seventh lens element has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and having at least one convex critical point in an off-axis region thereof.