In orthopedics，bone infection is a disease with a high treatment cost，a long cycle，and a high disability rate. The current treatment measures have drawbacks such as easy repetition and the requirement for secondary surgery to remove the internal implants. The development of biodegradable implant materials with anti⁃ bacterial properties has the potential to reduce patient suffering as well as the social burden. Mg⁃based metals have attracted extensive attention in the research field of bone infection repair materials with the advantages of degrad⁃ able in vivo，elastic modulus similar to bone tissue，as well as certain antibacterial properties. This article reviews the benefits of magnesium⁃based metals as a bone infection repair material，as well as existing issues，treatments for improving corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties，and the clinical application of magnesium as an orthopedic implant.