Nanoparticle-based therapeutic, prevention, and detection modalities have the potential to greatly impact how diseases are diagnosed and managed in the clinic. With the wide range of different nanomaterials available to nanomedicine researchers, the rational design of nanocarriers on an application-specific basis has become increasingly commonplace. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on an emerging platform: cell membrane coating nanotechnology. As one of the most fundamental units in biology, a cell carries out a wide range of functions, including its remarkable ability to interface and interact with its surrounding environment. Instead of attempting to replicate such functions via synthetic techniques, researchers are now directly leveraging naturally derived cell membranes as a means of bestowing nanoparticles with enhanced biointerfacing capabilities. This top-down technique is facile, highly generalizable, and has the potential to greatly augment the potency and safety of existing nanocarriers. Further, the introduction of a natural membrane substrate onto the surface of a nanoparticle has enabled additional applications beyond those already associated with the field of nanomedicine. Despite the relative youth of the cell membrane coating technique, there exists an impressive body of literature on the topic, which will be covered in detail in this review. Overall, there is still significant room for development, as researchers continue to refine existing workflows while finding new and exciting applications that can take advantage of this emerging technology. Cell membrane coating is an emerging nanotechnology. By cloaking nanomaterials in a layer of natural cell membrane, which can be derived from a variety of cell types, it is possible to fabricate nanoplatforms with enhanced surface functionality. This can lead to increased nanoparticle performance in complex biological environments, which can benefit applications like drug delivery, imaging, phototherapies, immunotherapies, and detoxification.