The sperm plasma membrane is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and a variety of proteins, and its function is associated with sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction and sperm-egg fusion. Sperm fertilizability can be predicted by detecting the function of the sperm plasma membrane, which is performed mainly with the following five techniques: sperm hypoosmotic swelling test, Eosin gamma water test, sperm membrane lipid peroxidation determination, seminal plasma superoxide dismutase determination, and flow cytometry. The evaluation of the function of sperm plasma membrane can be applied in detecting semen quality, selecting semen centrifugation, assessing the quality and fertilizability of sex-sorted sperm, improving cryopreservation, and guiding the optimization of intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This review presents an update on the principles, methods and steps of the detection of sperm plasma membrane function, as well as an overview of its status quo and application.