Phenolic compounds are a class of the most widely distributed secondary metabolites and found in most plant tissues. They may function as pollination, pigment constituents and protection against UV radiation. Phenolics have been investigated for their biological activities. They showed great activity against various viruses such as herpes simplex, Epstein-Barr virus, equid herpes virus, hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus and respiratory syncytial. This review summarized some phenolic compounds which showed antiviral activities, and expected to provide guides for rational design of antiviral drugs.