Hemicelluloses, the second largest natural polysaccharide in nature, has wide raw material source, good biocompatibility, biodegradability and renewability, which shows broad application potential in packaging area in this paper. The paper aims to review the research on modification of hemicelluloses, preparation of hemicelluloses-based materials and its applications to provide reference for the further development and application of hemicelluloses films. The structural characteristics and extraction methods of hemicelluloses were described, and the research progress of hemicelluloses-based packaging films was reviewed. Moreover, the effects of physical and chemical modifications on the barrier properties and mechanical properties were compared and analyzed. After modifications, the mechanical strength, flexibility, thermal stability and hydrophobicity of hemicelluloses are improved, which is in line with the new trend of high value-added utilization of hemicelluloses.