Rare diseases are diverse in type and phenotype complex. Approximately 50% of rare disease patients can not receive a definite diagnosis through conventional genetic testing such as whole-exome sequencing(WES). Long-read sequencing(LRS),as an emerging sequencing technology,offers new opportunities for the diagnosis of rare diseases. With continuous technological advancements,standardized analysis processes and the construction of reference databases,LRS is expected to break through bottlenecks and become a key technology for promoting precise diagnosis of rare diseases. This review focuses on the basic principles,advantages of LRS technology,its current application status and challenges in the diagnosis of rare diseases,and discusses the application prospects of LRS in the molecular diagnosis of rare diseases in combination with related papers in the Precision Detection and Diagnosis of Genetic Diseases special issue.