Nanoporous metals(NPMs) prepared through dealloying with three-dimensional continuous nanopores, have shown high potential on catalysis, sensing and surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS), in which field NPMs exhibit special size effect. To tune their properties and meet the requirements for various applications, microstructural regulation is a crucial issue for the development of nanoporous metals. At present, the microstructural regulation of nanoporous metals can be achieved by controlling over the dealloying parameters (such as corrosion method, corrosion temperature, corrosion electrolyte, and corrosion additive, etc) and post-dealloying treatment (annealing-induced coarsening, solution soaking). Exploring the formation mechanism and evolution law of nanoporous structure under different process conditions lays a solid foundation for preparation of bulk NPMs or thin films, which present the regularity of distribution in structure, such as gradient distribution, hierarchical distribution and uniform distribution.