17-4PH precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel is widely used in aerospace, military, offshore platforms and other fields with high strength, good attenuation resistance, corrosion fatigue resistance and water drop resistance. The research status of heat treatment on the microstructure, properties and toughening mechanism of 17-4PH high strength steel were reviewed, including strength, hardness, corrosion fatigue, impact toughness and hysteresis. The problems existing in the heat treatment of 17-4PH high strength steel are put forward, and the development direction of the steel in the future is forecasted from the angle of improving production efficiency and expanding application scope.