• This review summarizes and analyses recent advances in the design of PCF sensors for sensing and supercontinuum generation applications. • This review discusses recent structural designs based on the PCF platform that have emerged in various technologies such as SERS, SPR, EWs, and interferometric. • The review discusses various aspects of PCF-based sensors, including (i) RI sensing (ii) liquid sensing (iii) temperature sensing (iv) chemical sensing (v) bio-sample detection (vi) gas detection (vii) supercontinuum generation. • Additionally, this review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various PCF-based sensing techniques. • A prospect for future advancements in the development of PCF sensors for point-of-care and clinical use is highlighted. • The current trend in PCF sensing is also discussed, including anti-resonant fiber-based sensors and various background materials such as Zeonex, topas, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polypropylene. Photonic crystal fiber (PCF) guides the light through microscopic air channels having the potential to overcome the limitations associated with conventional fibers. PCF can operate in both conditions, if refractive index (RI) of core is higher or lower than clad RI, in the former condition light is guided through total internal reflection while in latter it is achieved with photonic band gap effect that cannot be obtained with conventional fibers. It offers endless single mode operation, high birefringence, ability to carry more power, ultrahigh non-linearities, low bending and dispersion losses. PCF have an advantage of high surface to volume ratio in air holes arrays that enhances interaction between analyte-sensing medium, elevating the performance of the sensor. PCF sensor requires less volume of the sample (few µL-nL) due to tight confinement of electromagnetic energy, narrow channels and long path length in the range of few meters make them excellent candidate for potential applications. This review presents an overview and analysis of the recent developments in PCF sensor design for sensing and supercontinuum generation applications. The sensor design involves the principle of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), evanescent waves (EWs) and interferometry. Advancements in various optical sensing techniques with their pros, cons and future outlook towards point of care applications are discussed in detail.