It has been seen from the last decade that many bacterial strains are becoming insensitive to conventional detection techniques and it has its own limitations. Current developments in nanoscience and nanotechnology have expanded the ability to design and construct nanomaterials with targeting, therapeutic, and diagnostic functions. These multifunctional nanomaterials have attracted researchers, to be used as the promising tool for selective bacterial sensing applications. An important advantage of using magnetic nanoparticles to capture bacteria is the simple separation of bacteria from biological samples using magnets. This review includes significance of magnetic nanoparticles in bacterial detection. Relevant to topic, properties, designing strategies for magnetic nanoparticle, and innovative techniques used for detection are discussed. This review provides the readers how magnetic properties of nanoparticles can be utilized systematically for bacterial identification.