Two-dimensional (2D) materials represented by graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) have attracted much attention in recent years due to their advantages in electrical, thermal, optical and mechanical properties. As a branch of 2D materials, 2D magnetic materials have special properties such as magnetic anisotropy and single-layer magnetic order. Especially, their magnetism can also be controlled by a variety of physical fields, and it possesses various physical properties and potential applications. Therefore, they have received widespread attention of researchers gradually. In this article, we summarize the types, synthesis methods, basic characteristics and characterization methods of 2D magnetic materials in detail, and the magnetism controlling of 2D magnetic materials as well. Finally, a simple outlook on the research directions and future challenges of 2D magnetic materials is given.