KDP-family crystals are the only nonlinear optical crystal material according with the optical aperture of ICF laser drivers. As KDP-family crystals are grown by aqueous solution method, the macroscopic inclusions and microscopic lattice defects easily occur in the bulk of the crystals. The high density pinpoints damage phenomenon appears as they are irradiated by the high power laser. All the laser induced damage properties are different from the surface damage of crystals grown by other methods, which are only limited by optical processing. The laser induced damage by defects or precursors are related to the laser wavelengths and even the laser polarization direction, and the different samples from the same as-grown single crystal and applied to different optical functions in ICF laser drivers show different laser induced damage properties. Therefore, the damage mechanism is very complicated, and it is urgent to know the laser induced damage mechanism of KDP-family crystals. In this paper, the cooperated research of Shanghai Institute of Optics and Mechanics with Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Shandong University and other crystal research institutes is reviewed. The laser induced damage properties of KDP and DKDP crystals applied as optical switching, frequency doubling and frequency mixing optical elements were investigated. The optimization of crystal growth process and the control of key factors were guided and the existing problems and solutions were prospected. The research has reference value for the development of high-performance KDP-family crystals and their rational application in high-power laser systems