All the metals and heavy metals (HM) are present in the earth’s crust. These are released into the surroundings largely due to anthropogenic activities like mining. HMs including Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu, Co, Mo, As, and Cr, find applications in several industries resulting in HM pollution in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. HMs are toxic to biosphere and should be removed from the environment. Bioremediation using biological agents is an economical and environmentally friendly method to confiscate HMs from various environments and subsequent recovery of HMs. Heavy-metal-resistant bacteria are equipped with various mechanisms, including bioaccumulation, biosorption and biotransformation, to detoxify the metals and accumulate them within their cells. The basis for these mechanisms are intracellular uptake of the HMs and its detoxification through chelation with and metal-binding proteins or siderophores, compartmentalization of HMs within vacuoles, bioprecipitation (as HM-sulfides, HM-hydroxides, HM-carbonates, and HM-phosphates), reduction of heavy metals, extracellular chelation, affinity, and ion-exchange interactions with the extracellular polymeric substances and HMs methylations to gaseous form. However to fully harness the potential of bacteria in tackling heavy metal pollution, extensive research and comprehensive studies are necessary. When employing microorganisms for bioremediation, it is crucial to consider several physicochemical factors, such as temperature, duration of contact with the biomass, pH, availability of nutrients, concentration of the HM present, competition of bioremediating microbes with indigenous population, safety, and selectivity. Understanding these parameters is key to optimizing the bioremediation of the contaminated environment.