Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is located in the internal arid area of Eurasia which is highly sensitive to global climate change. A large number of publications related to Holocene environmental change in dry area of Xinjiang are available based on different time scales. This paper reviews the Holocene high-resolution pollen records in Xinjiang during the last two decades. By means of temporal and spatial comparison, we recognize the evolution of climate-environment and desert vegetation in the Holocene in Xinjiang. During the early Holocene, desert vegetation occurred in northern Xinjiang and desert-steppe and desert vegetation covered in southern Xinjiang, reflecting a warm and dry climate condition. However, occurrence and duration times of desert vegetation were different in each region. In the middle Holocene, the climate and environment developed toward a better condition. The vegetation shifted to desert-steppe and steppe in northern Xinjiang, while desert and desert-steppe still dominated in southern Xinjiang. In the late Holocene, the climate and environment became more and more arid. The desert-steppe and meadow-steppe dominated in northern Xinjiang with an increasing of dry-tolerant elements. Sothern Xinjiang was covered by desert vegetation. Holocene vegetation succession in each region of Xinjiang is comparable and also has difference due to the geographical position, topography and altitude of the study site, obstruction of the Tianshan Mountains, and evolution of the westerly circulation.