Abstract: Recently, the atomic force microscope(AFM), one of the most important instruments has been found very wide application in the nanotribological researches. It promoted the development of nanotribology greatly. The main advances in the application of AFM to the researches of nanofriction, nanowear, nanolubrication, nanotribochmical reaction ,and nano surface engineering for micro electromechanical systems were reviewed. In addition, some problems urgently to be solved in the nanotribological application of AFM were proposed.