Abstract: Springs as energy storage components have been widely used in operating mechanism of high-voltage circuit breakers. Specifically, the opening and closing springs working under a high load capacity, under a poor condition for a long time, may result in their stress relaxation and fatigue fracture, under would compromise the stability and safety of high-voltage circuit breakers. Recently, numerous scholars at home and abroad have focused on the failure and prevention mechanism of springs in high-voltage circuit breakers. Based on the development and working principles of spring operating mechanisms,the main failure modes and influencing factors of springs in operating mechanisms were first reviewed. Then, performance improvement methods for springs used in these mechanisms were summarized from the perspectives of materials selection and manufacturing processes, and their condition monitoring methods were introduced. This work can provide a guidance for future research and application of springs in operating mechanism of high-voltage circuit breakers.