Polymeric　micelles　are　block　or　grafted　copolymers　formed　by　both　hydrophobic　and　hydrophilic　segments.　Although　polymeric　micelles　have　been　one　of　the　research　hotspots　for　the　past　decades,　most　of　the　results　reported　focus　on　their　application　as　drug　delivery　vehicles,　which　are　utilized　to　cure　diseases　accurately　without　obvious　side　effects.　Few　researches　have　explored　other　types　of　applications.　Therefore,　there　has　been　lack　of　summarized　information　to　present　a　thorough　overview　of　this　type　of　high　technology.　In　this　review,　starting　with　the　definition　of　polymeric　micelles　and　information　such　as　typical　shapes　and　morphology,　synthesize　approaches　such　as　block　arrangement,　changing　pH　and　temperature,　bond　interactions　will　be　introduced.　In　fact,　there　are　multiple　ways　to　synthesize　different　types　of　polymeric　micelles.　For　potential　applications,　their　use　as　intracellular　hypersensitive　nanoprobes　will　be　discussed.　If　designed　properly,　they　could　detect　various　kinds　of　biosignals　and　interact　with　pernicious　ions　to　eliminate　their　underlying　threats.　Photo-responsive　polymeric　micelles　will　also　be　illustrated,　which　has　appealed　to　many　scholars　and　enterprises.　5　types　of　photo-responsive　polymeric　micelles　will　be　introduced,　which　exhibit　various　photo-responsive　mechanisms　and　impact　of　light　on　different　functional　groups.　In　the　end,　the　future　prospect　of　polymeric　micelle　will　be　predicted.　Possible　applications　and　challenges　remained　will　be　mentioned.　This　review　hopes　to　offer　inspiration　to　researchers　in　order　to　enlarge　the　application　scope　of　polymeric　micelles.　©　2023　SPIE.