Abstract: Xenorhabdus is a kind of symbiotic bacteria living in the intestinal tract of entomopathogenic nematodes and produces a variety of secondary metabolites with different biological activities, some of which have the potential to develop new pesticides. Antimicrobial compounds found in the secondary metabolites from Xenorhabdus genus in recent decades and representative strains that produced antimicrobial secondary metabolites were summarized in this paper. The mechanisms of some antimicrobial compounds produced by Xenorhabdus were discussed and the inhibition of protein synthesis was an important way for some compounds against microorganisms. The methods of exploring new compounds and improving the yield of specific antimicrobial compounds from secondary metabolites of genus Xenorhabdus were summarized based on their biosynthesis pathway and related regulatory factors. The research prospects of Xenorhabdus were generalized and some countermeasures were put forward in this article in view of the current problems in the research and application of Xenorhabdus and its secondary metabolites. This paper provides a reference for the reasonable and effective application of antimicrobial secondary metabolites of Xenorhabdus, which is of great significance in promoting the utilization of Xenorhabdus and its secondary metabolites.