Holographic optical elements (HOEs) provide systems of thin-film optics that could include a variety of functions and have many advantages as optical devices in various research fields. Research and developments based on the use of HOEs in the fields of communications and displays are in progress. This paper introduces the properties of HOEs and their applications in diffractive optical elements (DOEs), holographic projection screens, and head-mounted displays (HMDs). For widespread use of HOE technology in these various applications some challenges need to be solved, as discussed in this paper.