Purpose <p>Glycopeptide antibiotics have saved countless patients from severe bacterial infections. The last two decades have witnessed the launch of second-generation glycopeptide antibiotics, namely telavancin, dalbavancin and oritavancin. Herein, we will highlighted the most common adverse effects of these antibiotics.</p> Methods <p>Compared with the first-generation drugs represented by vancomycin, the successors possess their own advantages. These drugs were approved and considered to be safe, while like all medicines, they may cause adverse effects, which are detrimental to human wellness. However, dalbavancin and oritavancin have not been fully illustrated, especially for special populations. By retrieving the latest literature and case reports, updated data of adverse effects were revealed.</p> Results <p>Based on both clinical trials and real-world experience, although new adverse effects were found, these glycopeptide antibiotics were generally well tolerated.</p> Conclusion <p>In this review, we summarize the latest research progress on the adverse effects of these three second-generation glycopeptide antibiotics.</p>