Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have been widely used in various industries due to high hardness, low coefficient of friction, and superior wear resistance. However, their applications are limited by the large internal stress, poor thermal stability, and environmental sensitivity of tribological properties. The doping of heterogeneous elements into DLC films can change the film composition, microstructure, and sp3 hybrid bond content, which can effectively reduce the internal stress, improve the bonding force, and improve the tribological properties. First, the origin and preparation methods of the doped DLC films are briefly introduced, and the advantages and disadvantages of various preparation methods are briefly analyzed. Second, the effects of doping on the microstructure of DLC films are discussed from the aspects of the presence of doping elements in DLC films and the sp3 hybrid bond content, and the effects of doping on the mechanical properties of DLC films are also briefly introduced. After being doped into DLC films, the metal elements are distributed in the amorphous matrix in the form of atomic dissolution, elemental nanocrystals or metal carbide nanocrystals, and the non-metal elements are mainly distributed in the amorphous matrix in the form of atomic dissolution. Third, the effects of doping on the tribological properties of DLC films are systematically discussed. The coefficient of friction of DLC films under vacuum can be effectively reduced by doping S and Ag elements; the thermal stability of DLC films can be improved by doping B, N, F, Si or transition metals, thus broadening the operating temperature range of DLC films; the environmental sensitivity of tribological properties of DLC films can be effectively reduced by doping Si, F, B and transition metals such as titanium. Finally, multi-element doping and combined application of multiple methods are proposed as the key future research directions of DLC films.