Software testing is a critical and time-consuming process during software development, whose key is to generate test data that meet specific criteria. With the increasing complexity of software, software testing is becoming more and more difficult. Recent years, it is a hot topic in software engineering using intelligent optimization, such as genetic algorithms, to test complex software. This paper mainly summarizes the application of intelligent optimization in software testing. Firstly, the basic principles and methods of software testing are introduced. Then, the research progress of intelligent optimization in different testing fields is introduced. Next, the research progress of software testing based on different intelligent optimization methods is analyzed. Finally, the challenges and prospects in this field are given.