Abstract: Zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs), which consist of a capacitor-type electrode and a battery-type electrode, not only possess the high power density of supercapacitors and the high energy density of batteries, but also offer advantages such as abundant resources, high safety and environmental friendliness. However, ZICs still face challenges, such as insufficient specific capacitance, short cycling life, narrow operating voltage and temperature ranges, hindering their practical application. To address these challenges, this review offers a comprehensive overview of the fundamental theory of carbon-based ZICs and summarizes recent research progresses on ZICs from 3 perspectives: carbon cathode, electrolyte and zinc anode. Specifically, it focuses on the influence of structure and surface chemical properties of carbon materials on the capacitive performance of ZICs. In addition, this review provides valuable theoretical guidance for advancing the development and practical application of high-performance ZICs.