Clouds are the main regulators of Earth’s radiation budget, water cycle, and biochemical cycle. Since the launch of the first human meteorological satellite (TIROS) in 1960, passive satellite remote sensing has developed into one of the most efficient means to obtain cloud observation data. Passive satellites have the characteristics of large observation range and long time span,in which the remote sensing imagers using visible and infrared bands (0.40--15 μm) have higher spatial and temporal resolution than hyperspectral and microwave imagers. First, summarizes the observation characteristics of passive satellite observation sensors based on visible and infrared bands for three types of sensors (multispectral imagers, multi-angle polarization imagers onboard polar-orbiting satellites and multispectral imagers onboard the new generation geostationary satellites) are summarized. Then, the principles and application methods for cloud parameters such as cloud detection, cloud phase, cloud top parameters, cloud optical and microphysical parameters are introduced. Finally, some thoughts are provided for the remote sensing study of cloud characteristics of passive satellite visible and infrared data through summary and prospect.