Crude glycerol is the main by-product in biodiesel industrial. Direct bioconversion of crude glycerol into 1, 3-propanediol by microbial fermentation is promising for the value-added utilization of crude glycerol. This review outlines glycerol-based 1, 3-propanediol synthetic pathways and key enzymes,the effect of crude glycerol on microbial fermentation,the diverse 1, 3-propanediol-producing microbes involved in crude glycerol fermentation as well as improvement of crude glycerol conversion rate by microbial consortium. This review aims to provide insights for engineering 1, 3-propanediol-producing strain and improving bioconversion of crude glycerol.