Objective To study the preservation effects of citric acid modified polyvinyl alcohol film on fresh-cut apples. Methods Fuji apples obtained from the market were subjected to fresh-cut processing and then sealed with polyvinyl alcohol films modified using different concentrations of citric acid, and the citric acid-free polyethylene film packaging was chosen as control. The freshness index of packaged apples was determined everyday during the storage period of 6 days. Results Compared with the other treatment groups, treatment group C was better in all indexes after stored for 6 days. It could maintain higher fruit firmness and showed better results in contents of soluble solids and vitamin C, as well as the sensory evaluation.Conclusion The experiment results showed that the film modified with 2% citric acid had good preservation effects.