The problem of bromate formed in the process of ozonation has currently become the biggest constraint factor for a large-scale application of ozone in drinking water. Activated carbon adsorption is the most common method for the removal of bromate in home and abroad. In addition, activated carbon filter is always applied as a combined process of ozonation, which is easy to be implemented and has no additional investment and causes a great concern among researchers. The paper completely summarized the research progress including the efficiency, mechanism and influence factor of bromate removal from drinking water with active carbon/biological active carbon. Furthermore, aimed at the research status of bromate removal from drinking water by using active carbon, the paper proposed the issues and problems that need to be resolved for bromate removal by activated carbon in the future .