Virus infections pose significant threats to human health and have profound implications for the global economy. Traditional vaccines and antiviral drugs have several limitations in the management of viral infections. For example, the efficacy of vaccines diminishes following viral mutations, while antiviral medications are susceptible to the development of drug resistance. In recent years, nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention in antiviral research due to their physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. This article provides a systematic overview of the advancements in the antiviral application of nanomaterials. We provide a comprehensive overview of the antiviral effects of nanomaterials in various applications, including the enhancement of immune responses as vaccine carriers, improved sensitivity in virus detection, inhibition of viral infection by direct antiviral activity, enhancement of drug efficacy as drug delivery carriers, interruption of virus transmission by surface coating, and virus tracing to assist in the study of viral mechanisms. Challenges of nanomaterials in the antiviral research are also discussed.