Since photodetectors are widely used in a variety of applications, such as imaging, optical communication, security and safety, motion detection, environmental sensing, and more, they are a crucial part of many technologies. The performance of photodetectors has significantly improved due to the advanced development of third-generation semiconducting materials caused by the novel pyro-phototronic effect. This effect
induced by localized heating under pulsed incident light, enhances the generation, separation, and collection of charge carriers within photodetectors. The combined pyroelectric and photoelectric effects resulting from this process are collectively termed the pyro-phototronic effect. It is crucial to understand how the pyro-phototronic effect affects the optoelectronic processes that take place during photodetection. This review addresses the latest advancements in photodetector performance by presenting the pyro-phototronic effect for a range of semiconductors. We provide a comprehensive summary of the pyro-phototronic effect in different semiconducting materials and outline recent developments in photodetectors.