Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of non infectious central nervous system autoimmune diseases mainly mediated by cellular and/or humoral immunity, closely related to its anti neural cell antibodies. AE often has a severe clinical course and rapid progression. Early diagnosis and timely immunotherapy are crucial for clinical outcomes, and the vast majority of patients have a good prognosis. The clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and imaging features of different types of AE have their corresponding characteristics. The author summarizes the imaging features and differential diagnosis of AE in order to further enhance the understanding of the disease among physicians.