<p>Biomass is a promising precursor for preparing ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) due to its sustainability, extensive availability, and varied H/C, O/C, and N/C elemental ratios. Over the past decade, synthesis of functional OMCs from biomass precursors has progressed steadily, while OMCs have shown notable growth in their range of applications. This paper reviews advances in the preparation of biomass-derived ordered mesoporous carbons (Bio-OMCs), with a focus on biomass constituents, chemical structures, preparation processes, and mechanisms according to environmental and energy-related applications. Correlation between biomass structure and preparation method is discussed in detail, along with how biomass structures affect the sustainability of the preparation process. Applications of biomass-derived ordered mesoporous carbon in environmental, energy, electronic device, and biomedical fields are introduced, and the influence of biomass structure on the surface groups of Bio-OMCs and modifications of Bio-OMCs (e.g., activation methods, heteroatom, and metal doping) are discussed. Advantages and limitations of existing preparation approaches for Bio-OMCs are analyzed to provide recommendations on future opportunities in research and applications.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>