<p><i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus</i>) and methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA) are important pathogens that are closely associated with hospital-acquired and community-acquired infections. Rapid and accurate detection methods are important for early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This paper reviews the latest research progress in the field of rapid detection of <i>S. aureus</i> and MRSA, including chromogenic media, immunological detection methods (e.g., enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, lateral flow assays, colorimetric/fluorescent immunoassays, etc.), nucleic acid tests (including polymerase chain reaction-based methods, isothermal amplification techniques), biosensors, and novel emerging methods, etc. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are systematically analyzed and discussed. Future research should focus on improving analytical sensitivity and specificity, shortening detection time, reducing detection cost, and promoting the integration of multiple platforms and intelligent analysis, especially for the development of technologies for point-of-care testing. These efforts are crucial to addressing the pressing need for rapid clinical diagnosis.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>