Ullah, AbidAbidUllahAzher, KashifKashifAzherLiu, TingtingTingtingLiuKohlwes, PhilippPhilippKohlwesHerzog, DirkDirkHerzogBakhtari, Ahmad ReshadAhmad ReshadBakhtariMedvedev, Alexander E.Alexander E.MedvedevRehman, Asif UrAsif UrRehmanZhang, KaiKaiZhangMolotnikov, AndreyAndreyMolotnikovKelbassa, IngomarIngomarKelbassaBrandt, MilanMilanBrandt2026-07-272026-07-272026-07-03Materials and Design 268: 116548 (2026)https://hdl.handle.net/11420/64044Laser beam shaping is increasingly explored to enhance Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Metals (PBF-LB/M) by controlling the spatial energy distribution within the laser spot. While conventional Gaussian beams remain widely used in commercial systems, their concentrated energy input can promote steep thermal gradients and localized overheating, which may restrict process stability, productivity, and part quality. This review critically synthesizes recent progress in laser beam shaping for PBF-LB/M, with emphasis on work from 2020 to early 2026. Compared with earlier reviews that mainly focused on optical implementation or broader laser–material processing concepts, this review integrates beam-shape generation with melt-pool dynamics, defect formation, surface quality, microstructural evolution, mechanical response, productivity, and emerging shape-aware process descriptors. The discussion shows how profiles such as core–ring, ring-dominant, top-hat, and elliptical beams can broaden stable process windows, suppress spatter and keyhole porosity, and promote more uniform thermal histories, with implications for surface quality, mechanical isotropy, and build efficiency. Modeling and simulation studies are also summarized to clarify the coupled heat-fluid–solid interactions controlling melt-pool behavior, thermal gradients, and solidification kinetics. Furthermore, major implementation challenges such as optical integration, energy-delivery stability, process reproducibility, and the lack of standardized beam descriptors are summarized. The review concludes by outlining emerging research directions aimed at enabling practical, reliable, and industrial-scale adoption of beam-shaping technologies in additive manufacturing.en1873-41972026Elsevierhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Additive manufacturingLaser beam shapingLaser powder bed fusionMelt-pool stabilityMicrostructurePBF-LB/MPorosityProductivityTechnology::620: Engineering::620.1: Engineering Mechanics and Materials Science::620.11: Engineering MaterialsTechnology::621: Applied PhysicsReview Article10.1016/j.matdes.2026.11654810.15480/882.17608