Felix, J.R.Thomas, A.W.Wang, X.G.2025-10-172025-10-172025Physical Review D, 2025; 112(3):035011-1-035011-62470-00102470-0029https://hdl.handle.net/2440/147844We revisit the exclusion constraints on the parameters of a narrow dark photon set by direct experimental searches. We investigate how a dark photon with a larger decay width impacts these limits, in particular, in the case where the dark photon also decays into light dark matter. As an example, taking the upper limits on the mixing parameter, 𝜀, reported by the CMS Collaboration, we find that they could be significantly relaxed. Indeed, even a very modest coupling of the dark photon to dark matter can lead to an increase in the bound on the mixing parameter by an order of magnitude.enPublished by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP³.electroweak interaction; extensions of gauge sector; particle dark matter; signatures with new bosons; dark photon; decay width; mixing parameterJournal article10.1103/cv86-8nx3747162Felix, J.R. [0009-0007-8753-3473]Thomas, A.W. [0000-0003-0026-499X]Wang, X.G. [0000-0001-9164-0027]