Corrosion　resistance　in　cryolitic　melts　is　the　most　important　property　for　inert　anode　used　in　aluminum　electrolysis.　Ni-Fe-Cr　alloy　anodes　were　prepared　with　a　protective　layer　on　their　surface　through　a　pre-oxidation　procedure,　and　corrosion　tests　were　carried　out　in　a　laboratory　aluminum　electrolysis　cell　at　950　°C.　The　microstructures　of　the　anodes　before　and　after　the　electrolysis　were　inspected　using　XRD　and　SEM　techniques.　It　is　found　that　a　starting　protective　layer　formed　after　10　-　20　hour　pre-oxidation　could　be　sufficient　to　make　the　anode　maintaining　function　during　the　corrosion　tests.　A　corrosion　layer　with　varying　thickness　on　the　metal　anodes　at　a　current　density　of　0.75　A/cm2　was　formed　in　aluminum　electrolysis　in　the　cryolitic　melts,　where　various　metal　fluorides　were　involved　in　the　surface　reactions.　Detailed　analysis　revealed　that　the　chemical　compositions　of　the　corrosion-oxide　protective　layers　on　the　metal　anodes　varied　due　to　selective　corrosion　and　migration　of　Fe,　Ni,　Cr,　and　O　crossing　the　interface.　The　results　may　provide　useful　technical　data　for　materials　design　and　process　development　for　metal　inert　anode　that　can　maintain　the　function　through　a　dynamic　oxide　protective　layer　during　aluminum　electrolysis.　©　2014　The　Minerals,　Metals　&　Materials　Society.