Abstract The development of miniaturization and high-density packaging of electronic components demands heat dissipation components that are compact and exhibit high performance. An ultra-thin micro heat pipe (UTHP), as a novel heat pipe with a flat shape that is highly suitable for application with high power and limited heat dissipation space, has been extensively investigated and widely used in mobile electronics. Understanding the influence of the manufacturing processes, capillary wick structures and flattened thickness on the thermal performance of UTHPs has been the aim of numerous studies. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the recent developments and applications of UTHPs for thermal management of electronics. The different types and applications of UTHPs are introduced, and the packaging technologies of UTHPs are summarized and compared. Furthermore, the fabrication methodology and heat transfer characteristics of various wick structures used for UTHPs are reviewed and analysed in detail. Finally, the challenges affecting the development and application of UTHPs are outlined, and recommendations for future research are presented.