In view of unaffinity, weak physical adsorption and poor washing fastness between cotton fabric and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), the latest research progress of AgNPs antibacterial cotton fabric based on covalent bond was systematically reviewed. Two covalent bond mechanisms, schiff base reaction and esterification reaction, were described. Combined with the data of inhibition rate and silver content, preparation process, antibacterial property and wash fastness of AgNPs antibacterial cotton fabric based on covalent bond were discussed, which were classified by covalent crosslinkers between AgNPs and cotton fabric, such as hyperbranched polymers, dendrimers, silk fibroin, sericin, cysteine, methionine, mercaptoacetic acid, chitosan derivatives, polystyrene-b-polyacrylic acid, butane tetracarboxylic acid, and so on. Finally, the shortcomings and the concerns in future of AgNPs antibacterial cotton fabric based on covalent bond were introduced. It is pointed out that the covalent crosslinking methods greatly improve the antibacterial washability of AgNPs and provide a new thought and a new way for developing environmentally friendly and durable antibacterial AgNPs textiles.