Small molecules are pharmacological tools of considerable value in dissecting complex biological processes and identifying potential therapeutic interventions.Recently, the cellular quality control process of mitophagy attracted considerable research interest, however, the limited availability of suitable chemical probes restricted our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved.Current approaches to initiate mitophagy include acute dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) by mitochondrial uncouplers (e.g. FCCP/CCCP), or the use of Antimycin A/Oligomycin to impair respiration. Both approaches impair mitochondrial homeostasis, and therefore limit the scope for dissection of subtle, bio-energy related regulatory phenomena.Recently, novel mitophagy activators acting independently of the respiration collapse have been reported, offering new opportunities to understand the process and potential for therapeutic exploitation.We have therefore summarized the current status of mitophagy modulators and analyzed the available chemical tools, commenting on their advantages, limitations and current applications.