Lithium metal anode is usually described as the “Holy Grail” electrode and stimulates widely interest of researchers due to an ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity and lowest electrochemical potential. Lithium metal anode can match well with the growing demand for high energy density when coupled with suitable cathode. However, the defects related to lithium metal anode, especially Li dendrite growth, stunt tremendously the practical application of metallic Li−based batteries. To deal with the aforementioned issue, a series of strategies have been proposed successively. Thereinto, it is worth noting that electrolyte additives, served as “vitamin” in the batteries, are in urgent demand for its convenience and cost-effectiveness. To understand the beneficial role of electrolyte additives for stable Li anode in depth, firstly, we introduced several main mechanism of Li dendrite growth. Moreover, the effects of electrolyte additives for Li metal anode was expounded. Furthermore, we reviewed recent progress of electrolyte additives in protecting Li anode. Finally, we summarized the existing challenges of additives and proposed some prospects combined with the practice.

锂金属阳极通常被称为“圣杯”电极，并因其极高的理论比容量和最低的电化学势而引起研究人员的广泛兴趣。当与合适的阴极结合使用时，锂金属阳极可以很好地满足对高能量密度不断增长的需求。但是，与锂金属阳极有关的缺陷，尤其是锂枝晶的生长，严重阻碍了金属锂基电池的实际应用。为了解决上述问题，相继提出了一系列策略。其中，值得注意的是，在电池中用作“维生素”的电解质添加剂迫切需要其便利性和成本效益。要深入了解电解质添加剂对稳定锂阳极的有益作用，首先，介绍了锂枝晶生长的几种主要机理。此外，阐述了电解质添加剂对锂金属阳极的影响。此外，我们回顾了电解质添加剂在保护锂阳极方面的最新进展。最后，我们总结了添加剂存在的挑战，并结合实际提出了一些前景。