The work aims to provide the theoretical guidance for the application of the flexible high barrier films. The application status and existing problems of flexible high barrier film were summarized. The fabrication methods (such as thermal evaporation, chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition (ALD)), principles, characteristics and application of the flexible high barrier films were summed up. The development prospect of the high barrier film packaging materials wasforecasted. The preparation technology of highbarrier film tended to be a singlestep. The use of plasma-assisted ALD technique was the first choice for the preparation of ultra-high barrier film. The combination of ALD and molecular layer deposition (MLD) was the future development direction to obtain the ultra-high barrier film. Rapid and efficient preparation of flexible high barrier film is the development trend in packaging industry.