Near-infrared (NIR) emitting materials and devices have broad application prospects in fields of information security, optical fiber communication, bioimaging and medical diagnosis. In recent years, new mechanisms based on thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), hybridized local and charge-transfer excited state (HLCT) and radical-based doublet emission, make the NIR devices full exciton utilization and high electroluminescent performance. In this paper, the progress of NIR organic small-molecule electroluminescent materials is reviewed. These materials are classified with different luminescent mechanism, and their electroluminescent performances and further development prospects are summarized.