Pipe piles have been widely used because of their high bearing capacity and strong stability, but vertical cracks were appeared in the service process of various fields. In order to fully clarify the causes of vertical cracks happened in pipe piles, provide effective prevention and control measures based on the mechanism of cracks, improve the service life of pipe piles in different environments, and solve various engineering problems caused by pipe pile cracking. By summarizing and analyzing the existing research results, the generation mechanism, crack hazards, crack prevention measures and crack detection technology of vertical cracks in pipe piles in different fields of use are reviewed. The results can provide reference for crack treatment of pipe pile engineering.