Molten　salt　is　an　excellent　medium　for　chemical　reaction,　energy　transfer,　and　storage.　Molten　salt　innovative　technologies　should　be　developed　to　recover　metals　from　secondary　resources　and　reserve　metals　from　primary　natural　sources.　Among　these　technologies,　molten　salt　electrolysis　is　an　economic　and　environment-friendly　method　to　extract　metals　from　waste　materials.　From　the　perspective　of　molten　salt　characteristics,　the　application　of　molten　salts　in　chemistry,　electrochemistry,　energy,　and　thermal　storage　should　be　comprehensively　elaborated.　This　review　discusses　further　directions　for　the　research　and　development　of　molten　salt　electrolysis　and　their　use　for　metal　recovery　from　various　metal　wastes,　such　as　magnet　scrap,　nuclear　waste,　and　cemented　carbide　scrap.　Attention　is　placed　on　the　development　of　various　electrolysis　methods　for　different　metal　containing　wastes,　overcoming　some　problems　in　electrolytes,　electrodes,　and　electrolytic　cells.　Special　focus　is　given　to　future　development　directions　for　current　associated　processing　obstacles.