Fresh　water　shortage　is　rapidly　emerging　as　a　global　crisis,　threatening　the　future　development　of　human　society.　Extracting　fresh　water　from　seawater,　wastewater　and　even　atmospheric　water　efficiently　has　become　a　critical　challenge　to　the　research　community.　In　recent　years,　solar-driven　evaporation　has　aroused　enormous　research　interest　owing　to　its　low-cost　and　sustainable　potential.　As　a　new　bioinspired　approach　for　clean　water　production,　interfacial　solar　steam　generation　makes　direct　use　of　solar　energy　to　generate　water　steam　through　latent　heat.　Fresh　water　can　then　be　collected　by　condensing　the　water　steam　on　a　colder　substrate.　To　date,　quite　a　number　of　photothermal　materials　and　rational　structure　designs　for　efficient　solar　evaporators　have　been　reported.　In　this　review,　the　design　principles　and　evaporation　systems　for　interfacial　solar　evaporation　are　summarized.　Multifunctional　designs　of　evaporators,　salt-rejection,　and　antifouling　capability　are　also　discussed,　which　is　of　great　significance　to　long-term　and　efficient　solar　water　collection.　In　the　last　section,　some　prospects　for　the　development　of　solar　evaporators　are　proposed.　©　the　Partner　Organisations.