<p>Due to the rapid population growth, industrialization, and climate change, freshwater scarcity is turning out to be one of the most acute global problems. Traditional desalination methods such as reverse osmosis (RO) and multi-stage flash distillation are efficient; nevertheless, traditional desalination methods are energy consuming and unaffordable in remote and low-income areas. The solar distillation stills offer an alternative that is sustainable and environmentally friendly since they utilize the large amount of solar energy to make potable water by using natural evaporation and condensing mechanisms. The present review paper provides a critical analysis of the latest advances in the solar distillation technologies with a particular focus on the design innovations, the approaches toward the performance improvement, and the way to integrate the technology with other renewable energy sources. Many design configurations such as active, passive, stepped, tubular, and multi effect systems are examined to determine their characteristics of operation. The use of advanced materials, including nanofluids, phase-change materials, and selective coatings, to enhance thermal performance and yield water is also explained. The review also assesses economic viability, environmental advantages and practical implementation in rural arid and disaster-prone areas. The solar distillation with passive techniques improves efficiency of 10–30%, with PCMs improves 20–50%, wick and porous materials improves 25%, with nanofluids improves 25%, of solar distillation still efficiency.</p>