Drinking water production has been thrust to the forefront of global issues as a direct result of the critical need for accessto clean water and the expanding environmental difculties. Solar stills are becoming an increasingly popular technologyfor the purifcation of water since they provide a greener and more cost-efective alternative to the production of distilledwater of a high standard. Recent research has focused on the incorporation of nanofuids, which are suspensions of metallicor non-metallic nanoparticles, into base fuids such as water and oil in the hopes of further increasing the efectiveness ofsolar distillation. This novel technique intends to improve thermophysical and evaporation parameters, which will eventuallylead to greater production in solar stills. In this paper, a complete overview of the most recent developments in the use ofnanofuids in solar still technology is presented. This research investigates the potential of nanofuid-flled solar still systemsby focusing on their one-of-a-kind qualities. These qualities include increased thermophysical properties, better thermalconductivity, and enhanced thermal absorptivity. The innovative nature of this method is highlighted by the fact that the use of nanofuids in active solar stills has proven a decrease in the amount of pumping power that is required. For instance, ithas been ascertained that the inclusion of carbon quantum dots nanofuids to a solar still can expressively improve the waterproduction, boosting the output by 57.9% to 823 mL compared to the 521 mL produced by a conventional still. Also, usinga concentration of 0.9%, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, CuO nanofuids and multiwall carbon nanotubes can boost the water production by11.57%, 7.16%, 6.32%, and 4.66%, respectively, if compared to a solar still without nanofuids. This study serves as a pioneering examination of the future possibilities of nanofuid-enabled solar still systems, shining light on a transformational routetoward environmentally friendly and efective water purifcation technologies. In light of these astonishing discoveries, thisresearch serves as a pioneering exploration of the future prospects of nanofuid-enabled solar desalination units.