Zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) have been extensively investigated and discussed as promising energy storage devices in recent years owing to their low cost, high energy density, inherent safety, and low environmental impact. Nevertheless, several challenges remain that need to be prioritized before realizing the widespread application of ZIBs. In particular, the development of zinc anodes has been hindered by many challenges, such as inevitable zinc dendrites, corrosion passivation, and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which have severely limited the practical application of high‐performance ZIBs. This review starts with a systematic discussion of the origins of zinc dendrites, corrosion passivation, and the HER, as well as their effects on battery performance. Subsequently, we discuss solutions to the above problems to protect the zinc anode, including the improvement of zinc anode materials, modification of the anode–electrolyte interface, and optimization of the electrolyte. In particular, this review emphasizes design strategies to protect zinc anodes from an integrated perspective with broad interest rather than a view with limited focus. In the final section, comments and perspectives are provided for the future design of high‐performance zinc anodes.

The uncontrolled growth of dendrites and serious side reactions, such as hydrogen evolution and corrosion, significantly hinder the industrial application and development of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). This article presents ovalbumin (OVA) as a multifunctional electrolyte additive for aqueous ZIBs. Experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that the OVA additive can replace the solvated sheath of recombinant hydrated Zn 2+ through the coordination water, preferentially adsorb on the surface of the Zn anode, and construct a high-quality self-healing protective film. Notably, the OVA-based protective film with strong Zn 2+ affinity will promote uniform Zn deposition and inhibit side reactions. As a result, Zn||Zn symmetrical batteries in ZnSO 4 electrolytes containing OVA achieve a cycle life exceeding 2200 h. Zn||Cu batteries and Zn||MnO 2 (2 A g −1 ) full batteries show excellent cycling stability for 2500 cycles, demonstrating promising application prospects. This study provides insights into utilizing natural protein molecules to modulate the kinetics of Zn 2+ diffusion and enhance the stability of the anode interface.