Abstract: Glass and metals are both common materials applied in various industries, due to their unique characteristics in terms of physicochemical and mechanical properties. Recently, glass to metal sealing components with the attractive and excellent performance have gained popularity, and have been extensively exploited in aerospace, microelectronics and medical. However, conventional glass/metal joining methods often lead to problems involving thermal residual stresses and impaired joint strength owing to mismatches in thermal expansion and interfacial bonding nature. Laser technique with the benefits of high precision, energy concentration and fast processing plays an increasingly prominent role in the joining of glass to metals. This review investigates the applications and limitations of conventional welding methods for the joining of glass to metal. Comprehensive analysis in the progress of research on laser joining glass to metal is critically reviewed. Finally, the article provides an overview on potential future strategies for laser joining of glass to metals, offering a creative thought for the fabrication of glass to metal composite structures. Therefore, this work can serve as the basis for the research of laser joining glass and metals.