With the development of green economy, biodegradable natural polymers have aroused people’s interest. As a natural polymer material, chitosan has the advantages of good biocompatibility, biodegradability, antibacterial，moisturizing, film-forming properties. In recent years, the use of chitosan microspheres as a carrier for the controlled release and adsorption of drugs has attracted more and more attention, especially in giving chitosan responsiveness and realizing its functionalization. Here, the synthesis of pH, temperature, magnetism and multiple responsive chitosan microspheres was reviewed, and the research and application of responsive chitosan microspheres in water treatment, targeted drug delivery, drug sustained release, immobilized enzymes, etc. in recent years were summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of responsive chitosan microspheres were analyzed, and the future development direction of responsive chitosan microspheres was prospected.