Molten salt etching is a promising alternative to traditional fluoride-based methods for synthesizing MXenes, offering safer, more scalable, and versatile processes. This review discusses the synthesis and applications of MXenes derived from molten salt etching. MXenes are 2D materials composed of early transition metal layers with carbide or nitride layers, with surface termination groups influencing their properties. Traditional methods using HF are hazardous and environmentally problematic, while molten salt etching, particularly with Lewis acid salts like ZnCl₂, provides a safer and more controllable approach. The process involves replacing the A-site metal in MAX phases with a Lewis acid, leading to the formation of MXenes with controlled surface terminations and metal nanoparticle deposition. The review highlights the advantages of molten salt etching, including scalability, control over surface groups, and the ability to produce MXenes with various surface terminations. Applications of MXenes include electrochemical energy storage, catalysis, and materials with enhanced thermal properties. The review also discusses the synthesis of nitride MXenes, which are more challenging due to the lower stability of M–N bonds. The use of molten salts allows for the preparation of MXenes with different surface terminations and the incorporation of metal atoms, enhancing their catalytic and electronic properties. Post-synthesis processing, such as metal removal and surface functionalization, is crucial for optimizing MXene performance. Overall, molten salt etching represents a significant advancement in MXene synthesis, offering a safer and more versatile method for producing these promising materials.Molten salt etching is a promising alternative to traditional fluoride-based methods for synthesizing MXenes, offering safer, more scalable, and versatile processes. This review discusses the synthesis and applications of MXenes derived from molten salt etching. MXenes are 2D materials composed of early transition metal layers with carbide or nitride layers, with surface termination groups influencing their properties. Traditional methods using HF are hazardous and environmentally problematic, while molten salt etching, particularly with Lewis acid salts like ZnCl₂, provides a safer and more controllable approach. The process involves replacing the A-site metal in MAX phases with a Lewis acid, leading to the formation of MXenes with controlled surface terminations and metal nanoparticle deposition. The review highlights the advantages of molten salt etching, including scalability, control over surface groups, and the ability to produce MXenes with various surface terminations. Applications of MXenes include electrochemical energy storage, catalysis, and materials with enhanced thermal properties. The review also discusses the synthesis of nitride MXenes, which are more challenging due to the lower stability of M–N bonds. The use of molten salts allows for the preparation of MXenes with different surface terminations and the incorporation of metal atoms, enhancing their catalytic and electronic properties. Post-synthesis processing, such as metal removal and surface functionalization, is crucial for optimizing MXene performance. Overall, molten salt etching represents a significant advancement in MXene synthesis, offering a safer and more versatile method for producing these promising materials.