Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery is the most common surgical type for colorectal tumors. It has been widely accepted by surgeons,due to its short-term benefits. However, it is hard to accurately locate small tumors in laparoscopic surgeries result from the lack of tactile feedback, and it could increase perioperative morbidity and operation time. Therefore, precise preoperative tumor location is crucial for laparoscopic surgery. In this review, we summarized the commonly used intestinal tumor localization methods, and shared experience of our center to provide some useful information for clinicians to select cost-effective, convenient and individualized tumor localization method.