Water is an indispensable resource for all living things on earth and plays a vital role in the process of human development. The configuration and design of nanoconfined water channels is one of the most critical steps in the molecular dynamics study of nanoconfined water. The flow of confined water in micro-channels often presents a different form from traditional macroscopic fluid mechanics. This paper focuses on the configuration and design of nanoconfined water channels based on carbon-based materials. A systematic summary is conduct- ed based on the recent important research achievements in related fields at home and abroad. Then the applica- tion of nanoconfined water in fields of seawater desalination, medicine and energy is mainly introduced. Finally, the development prospect of nanoconfined water is discussed.