Radar-absorbing coatings, as core functional materials in the field of electromagnetic wave control, are widely used in reducing the radar cross-section of military equipment and mitigating the hazards of electromagnetic radiation from consumer electronic products. The research situation at home and abroad was analyzed and summarized in detail from the aspects of composition, research progress of microwave absorbing properties, failure and repair of microwave absorbing coatings, and the research trend of microwave absorbing coatings in the future was prospected. Domestic absorptive coating materials still need to strengthen research in thinning, lightweighting, broadbanding, strong absorption, and corrosion resistance.