This comprehensive review summarizes the advances in the photocatalytic synthesis of 1,3benzothiazoles to date. The availability of cost-effective light sources, the utilization of visible light in the presence of photocatalytically active materials, and society growing emphasis on environmentally sustainable technologies have significantly accelerated the development of photochemical methods. The use of visible light in these processes not only overcomes many challenges, such as the need for high temperatures, but also achieves exceptional selectivity, often unattainable with conventional approaches. A survey of the literature reveals that among photochemical methods for synthesizing N,O,S-containing heterocycles, those targeting sulfur-based motifs remain the least represented. Nevertheless, sulfur-containing heterocycles are of paramount importance, particularly in the pharmaceutical field. As we can see, photocatalysis offers a straightforward and efficient route for assembling benzothiazoles under mild conditions, employing less toxic and more cost-effective sulfur sources compared to traditional strategies. Additionally, many methods have demonstrated scalability to gram-scale production, enhancing their practical utility. The proposed in original literature mechanisms, often presented in diverse ways, are unified in this review to offer a cohesive mechanistic perspective, fostering new ideas for heterocyclic synthesis. The cyclization of 2aminothiophenols with aldehydes remains the most widely employed strategy for the photochemical synthesis of 1,3-benzothiazoles, with both organocatalysts and transition-metal-based catalysts proving effective. Other viable substrates for this cyclizations include benzylamines, α-ketocarboxylic acids, alcohols, and methyl arenes. Common starting materials include N-aryl thioamides, 2isocyanoaryl thioethers, aryl isonitriles/nitriles, and aryl isothiocyanates. Notably, at least one-third of reported light-driven syntheses of benzothiazoles have been conducted without external photocatalysts (Fig. ). Certain reactions satisfy bioorthogonality criteria and can be performed in water at physiological pH, making them promising for the in vivo modification of bioactive natural compounds. Beyond the construction of benzothiazole scaffolds, alternative strategies have emerged, such as the visible-light-driven arylation, alkylation, or acylation of 2unsubstituted 1,3-benzothiazoles .