Magnetic coupling wireless power transfer (MC-WPT) technology has garnered increasing attention owing to its development and the growing demand for applications. In MC-WPT systems, transmitter-only control requires only a closed-loop controller at the transmitter, which can help to reduce the weight, volume, cost, and complexity of the WPT receiver. Therefore, existing transmitter-only control schemes are comprehensively reviewed. Firstly, the fundamental operating principle of the MC-WPT transmitter-only control system is analyzed. Subsequently, WPT topologies employing transmitter-only control are analyzed. Building on this foundation, various transmitter-only control methods are systematically categorized, compared, and summarized in detail. Finally, the problems and challenges of transmitter-only control technology are discussed.