Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants that pose a global environmental threat. Mangroves are sensitive ecosystems that provide free ecological services, including coastal protection, natural cycle management, hotspots, and economic benefits, but technically urban activities have also polluted such protected ecosystems. The objective of this study was to critically examine the current knowledge on the source, presence, fate, and potential impacts of MP contamination in sediment, water, and ecosystems in mangrove ecosystems. The current review encompasses 51 articles published in peer-reviewed journals from 2014 to 2024. Data extraction was performed using MS Excel, compiling details such as geographic coordinates of the study locations, country, collection techniques, analytical methods, MP concentrations, and physical and chemical characteristics of MPs. The maximum number of studies was published in the last 5 years. Shovel, plankton net, and handpicking methods were used dominantly for sampling sediment, water, and biota, respectively. Thirty percent H2O2 and KOH are reported as the most dominantly used digestion techniques. NaCl is the dominantly used floating technique for MP separation as per density gradient. The concentration of MPs varied among different sampling locations, possibly due to different degrees of anthropogenic pressure. The study revealed fibers as the most dominant shape of MPs in mangrove ecosystems. In the case of color-wise categorization, black- and white-colored MPs have been recorded as predominant. In terms of size-wise classification, less than 1 mm-sized MPs are also recorded as dominant. Polyethylene and polypropylene are found as the major polymer constituents of MPs. The study highlighted the sources, distributions, and transport mechanisms of MPs in these sensitive ecosystems. The current investigation can be useful to develop holistic approaches for mitigating plastic pollution through public awareness and policy recommendations.