Alcohol dependence （AD） is a chronic and addictive mental disorder with high relapse rate. Long-term alcoholism can lead to body damage， chronic diseases and other adverse consequences. AD has become a global public health concern. In addition， the safe and effective treatment of AD patients is an important issue that needs to be addressed urgently. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation （rTMS）， as a visual physical therapy， has been widely used in psychiatric disorders. However， there is still no consensus on the therapeutic target， stimulation frequency， clinical efficacy and effects on brain function of rTMS. Therefore， this paper reviews the efficacy of rTMS in alcohol-dependent patients and the mechanism of brain function.