Carbon nanotubes and graphene, one of the nanomaterials based on carbon, are rising proportionally across numerous scientific and engineering disciplines owing to their unique size and unusual properties. The applications of 1D and 2D nanomaterials based on carbon are greatly affected by magnetic properties, containing mechanical resonances, phase contrast, and sensitivity. Therefore, characterizing these properties at the nanoscale is essential. Techniques based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) are influential instruments used to simultaneously characterize the topography of carbon nanotubes and graphene along with their magnetic properties with spatial resolution. While most reviews emphasize on mechanical and electrical properties of nanomaterials, fewer reviews have been published on the magnetic properties of nanomaterials. In contrast, magnetic properties are a crucial step for future magnetic devices. This review shows the principles of AFM-based magnetic techniques and establishes their applications in local magnetic characterization properties of nanomaterials.