ABSTRACT:  Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a novel technology to remove ions from water using electrostatic force. Owing to its excellent electrical conductivity and large specific surface area, graphene has become a material of interest for CDI electrodes, crucial components of the system involved. So far, research on graphene-based electrodes has focused on the synthesis of the material, while there has not been a review of the relationship between the performance of CDI and the characteristics of the graphene-based material or the electrode preparation methods to acquire these characteristics. Hence, this paper systematically reviews the principles and performance index of CDI, research undertaken on graphene-based electrode materials, and the approach for electrode preparation for CDI. The influence of characteristics (pore structure, electrical conductivity and hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity) of the graphene-based material on the performance of CDI is summarized and analyzed. Finally, the development of graphene-based electrode material is overlooked.