Abstract: Metallic materials are one of the most important load-bearing structural materials, and are commonly used in complex and harsh environments. In order to obtain excellent material properties, the manufacturing process of metallic materials are often quite complex, and contain many processing steps. In-depth study and grasp of the evolution mechanism of microstructure and defects during manufacturing and under complex service environments is crucial to improving the material performance and ensure the safety of materials in service. The high spatial and temporal resolution of synchrotron radiation source provides an excellent research platform for studying the evolution mechanism of microstructure and defects for metallic materials. In this paper, the research progress of metallic materials using synchrotron radiation source is reviewed, including the construction of sample environment devices, the development and utilization of X-ray methodology, the researches on the preparation processing of metallic materials, and the evolution of microstructure and damage mechanism under complex external environment. Finally, the authors put forward the future development direction of this field.