Abstract: In recent years, radio technology has continued to develop. Wireless power transfer (WPT) can realize wireless power supply, so it has attracted widespread attention and has high research value and application prospects. Rectenna in the WPT system is used to convert received electromagnetic waves into direct current. The conversion efficiency of the rectema system is an important indicator of the system’s energy transmission capability. This article introduces the basic principles of WPT technology, and then introduces the research progress of rectennas for WPT and summarizes the mainstream technical solutions of rectenna design in recent years, including multi-band and broadband rectennas, harmonic suppression rectennas, high-gain rectennas, dual-polarization rectennas, large power and load range rectennas, rectennas based on electromagnetic metamaterials, etc. The key technologies and advantages of different solutions are discussed and the future development trends are prospected.