High-valent iron species (HVIS) have good application prospects in iron-based catalytic-induced advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for various water treatments. How-ever, existing studies lack clarity regarding the generation, control, and identification of HVIS in AOPs. Additionally, there is a dearth of organized analyses and summaries of the degree of contribution of HVIS to pollutant removal and the underlying reaction mechanisms. These limitations can potentially hinder the practical application of AOPs that rely on high-activity HVIS to achieve high-performance long-term remediation. Therefore, this study focused on the generation, control, and main influencing factors of HVIS by iron-based catalysis, as well as their identification methods and reaction mechanisms with typical pollutants. The aim was to provide theoretical support and references for the future development and application of AOPs based on HVIS.