Photocuring 3D printing technology, which utilizes ultraviolet (UV) light, is widely employed in consumer product manufacturing as well as the mechanical and electronic industries due to its mild curing conditions and rapid printing capabilities. However, UV 3D printing has limitations in penetration depth and biocompatibility, which hinder its application in biomedicine and other fields. Compared with UV light, near-infrared (NIR) light has greater penetrating ability due to its small linear absorption and Rayleigh scattering in various media. Hence, NIR light is regarded as an ideal alternative due to its superior penetration ability and reduced biological damage. Researchers have developed NIR 3D photocuring technology utilizing light-converting materials or photoinitiators, successfully applying it in biomedical and engineering fields. This study provides a comprehensive review of NIR 3D photocuring technology, detailing the principles and outlining its essential components. It also emphasizes optimization strategies, such as reducing light scattering in photosensitive ink and enhancing photoconversion efficiency. The NIR 3D photocuring technology provides several advantages such as greater curing depth, the ability to cure opaque ink, and the capability to create objects that can penetrate various media, enabling to deep tissue repair, fabricate living tissue, and noninvasive fracture fixation in vivo. The study also investigates the challenges and future research directions of NIR 3D photocuring. This technology is anticipated to broaden the application scope of traditional photocuring by enabling the synthesis of nanorobots and micro-nano optical devices, while advancing biomedical applications such as organoid construction and implantable sensors.