Rare earth fluoride upconversion nanomaterials have immense potential applications for biological imaging and photothermal therapy, biosensing, solar cell and anti-counterfeiting technology, due to its high chemical stability, large anti-stokes shifts, no photobleaching, long fluorescence life, narrow emission band and deep penetration, which is a promising fluorescent material. However,such materials are limited in practical application due to their low upconversion luminescence efficiency and small absorption cross-section of activator. Based on the above problems, upconversion luminescence enhancement of rare earth doped fluoride materials such as ion co-doping, core shell structure, surface plasmon coupling, photonic crystal, broadband sensitization and thermal effect are expounded herein, and the mechanisms of enhancement of upconversion luminescence are analyzed. In addition, the research status in the fields of biological imaging and photothermal therapy, biosensing, solar cell and anti-counterfeiting technology is elaborated. Moreover, the limitations and development directions for future are also prospected.