Phenolic compounds are bioactive natural products of considerable interest in pharmaceuticals and biomedicines. Due to their bioactive functions, phenolic compounds have received increasing attention in recent years. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new and advanced analytical methods for determination of phenolic compounds in relation to pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. However, in majority, their detection has been largely conducted by sensitive yet bulky and expensive laboratory instruments, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Compared with those laboratory scale instruments, the advanced sensing technologies are extremely attractive due to the advantages of their low cost, time saving, user-friendly, simplified sample pre-treatment, high sensitivity, and excellent selectivity. The aim of this review is to provide critical information on the advanced sensing technologies for detecting phenolic compounds, with emphasis on optical sensors, electrochemical sensors and biosensors. Besides, the present status, critical issues and future trends of the related sensing technologies are outlined.