Volatile　organic　compounds　(VOCs)　have　boiling　points　ranging　from　50　℃　to　260　℃　at　room　temperature.　These　compounds　are　emitted　from　complex　sources,　including　automobile　manufacturing,　fine　chemicals,　the　pharmaceutical　industry,　interior　decoration,　and　the　plastics　industry.　VOCs　serve　as　important　precursors　of　secondary　organic　aerosols　and　ozone.　However,　some　VOCs　discharged　into　the　atmosphere　undergo　photochemical　reactions,　resulting　in　the　formation　of　photochemical　smog.　This　byproduct　is　irritating,　teratogenic,　and　carcinogenic,　causing　considerable　harm　to　human　health　and　posing　a　serious　threat　to　the　environment.　Among　VOCs,　aromatic　hydrocarbons　originate　from　a　wide　range　of　sources　relevant　to　human　life.　These　compounds　have　been　a　constant　hot　spot　in　the　field　of　VOC　removal　due　to　their　unique　aromatic　ring　structure,　highly　toxic　effects,　and　challenging　treatment.　VOC　removal　mainly　comprises　source　reduction,　process　management,　and　end–to–end　treatment.　End–to–end　treatment　methods　involve　adsorption,　photocatalytic,　plasma　decomposition,　membrane　separation,　and　catalytic　oxidation.　Catalytic　oxidation　can　effectively　convert　VOCs　into　carbon　dioxide　and　water　at　relatively　low　temperatures,　making　it　one　of　the　most　effective　methods　for　VOC　treatment.　Efficient　catalyst　development　is　the　key　point　for　catalytic　oxidation　methods.　This　review　highlights　progress　in　catalyst　development　for　the　catalytic　oxidation　of　toluene,　focusing　on　the　characteristics　of　noble-metal　catalysts,　such　as　noble-metal　species,　particle　size,　alloying　systems,　and　support　properties.　While　transition-metal　oxide　catalysts　are　abundant　and　inexpensive,　they　exhibit　low　catalytic　performance　for　toluene　oxidation.　Therefore,　discussions　on　transition-metal　oxide　catalysts　include　synthesis　or　calcination　temperature,　atomic　substitution　(isovalent　and　heterovalent　substitutions),　surface　modification　(noble-　and　transition-metal　doping),　and　in　situ　surface　treatment　(chemical　etching　and　surface　modification).　Although　studies　on　toluene　degradation　using　spinel-　and　perovskite-type　oxide　catalysts　and　metal-organic　framework-based　catalysts　are　limited,　a　brief　summary　of　their　characteristics　during　catalytic　oxidation　of　toluene　is　provided,　focusing　on　the　relationship　between　the　catalyst　microstructure　and　performance.　Furthermore,　the　kinetic　model　for　the　catalytic　oxidation　of　toluene　was　briefly　evaluated,　and　the　corresponding　reaction　mechanism　and　kinetics　were　analyzed.　This　review　aims　to　contribute　to　the　development　of　efficient　catalysts　for　the　complete　or　selective　oxidation　of　toluene.　©　2024　Science　Press.　All　rights　reserved.