In recent years, biometric identification technology has been at the forefront of security agenda discussion. Iris identification with the lowest error rate is characterized by stability, non‐aggression, uniqueness and other prominent characteristics, which is of great significance in the field of security and prevention. This paper firstly introduces the process of iris recognition, then reviews the development history of iris recognition, and summarizes the research results of iris recognition methods in recent years. Finally, it points out the challenges faced by iris recognition at present, and puts forward future prospects.