Iron is one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust, ranking fourth among all crustal elements. As a trace element necessary for plant growth and development, iron plays a vital role in life processes such as photosynthesis, hormone synthesis, mitochondrial respiration and nitrogen assimilation. Plants transfer a large part of the nutrients accumulated during vegetative growth to seeds to improve the survival rate of the next generation, and iron is no exception. However, since free iron can produce active oxygen and cause damage to plants, iron is generally stored in the seed in a chelated state. When the external conditions are suitable, the seed iron will be reutilized to help the seedlings transform into an active photosynthetic state before absorbing iron from the environment, which has a very important impact on the vitality of seedlings. Seeds are also an important dietary source of iron for most of the world’s population, and iron deficiency can lead to diseases such as iron deficiency anemia which threatens human life and health. Therefore, understanding comprehensively the molecular mechanisms of storage, transportation and reutilization of seed iron is critical to increase seed iron content and iron bioavailable. This article summarizes the current research progress on the long-term storage, transportation and reutilization of iron in plant seeds, as well as the potential strategies for plant iron bioforti?cation, which provides a theoretical basis for cultivating iron-rich crops and improving the bioavailable of dietary iron.