Because the pace of new antibiotic development could not match the development of bacterial drug resistance, the phenomenon of multidrug-resistance and pan-resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) in clinical treatment is becoming widespread. Therefore, more and more attentions have been paid to the development of antimicrobial substances other than classical antimicrobial agents, such as metal ions and chelates. The antimicrobial activity of iron and zinc against A. baumannii was reviewed in this paper. Iron, zinc and the other essential metal ions can inhibit bacterial growth by regulating efflux pumps or affecting biofilm formation and adhesion. In addition, metals such as gold, silver and palladium, also have strong antibacterial effects and can be used as antimicrobial coating for medical indwelling devices to prevent infections.