Abnormal production and accumulation of melanin can lead to a series of skin problems, and active peptides derived from foods have been proved to reduce melanogenesis by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase. This paper systematically summarizes the current sources and preparation methods of food protein-derived peptides with the capability of tyrosinase inhibition, mainly introduces the model methods used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of active peptides. The effects of the types and positions of amino acids in the peptide chains on the peptide activity and the different inhibitory mechanisms of active peptides on tyrosinase activity are analyzed. The paper points out the development trend and challenges of tyrosinase inhibitory peptides derived from food protein, so as to provide reference for their future research and application.