［Objective/Significance］Waterborne polyurethane（WPU）coatings are characterized by environmental friendliness and a wide range of applications. However，continuous efforts are still devoted to enhancing their mechanical，water resistance and solvent resistance，achieving high-performance and functionalization，and expanding their application fields.［Analysis/Discussion/Progress］In this paper，the progress in performance enhancement and functionalization of WPU coatings achieved byapplying polymer molecular design principles，including modifications of main-chain and side-chain structures，introduction of functional components，and regulation of chemical crosslinking and hydrogenbonding networks were systematically reviewed. Furthermore，the application potential of WPU coatings in display optical film coatings，synthetic leather，and medical dressings was demonstrated.［Conclusion/Prospect］Although WPU coatings have been applied in various fields，their performancestill need to be further enhanced to meet the demands of frontier technologies such as optical displaysand robotic skins，with requirements for high light transmittance，aging resistance，biomimetic flexibility，thermal conductivity，and self-healing capability.