AbstractVisual working memory (VWM), the system of storing, manipulating, and utilizing, visual information is fundamental to many cognitive acts. Exploring the limitations of this system is essential to understand the characteristics of higher‐order cognition, since at a basic level, VWM is the interface through which we interact with our environment. Given its important function, this system has become a very active area of research in the recent years. Here, we examine current models of VWM, along with the proposed reasons for what limits its capacity. This is followed by a short description of recent neural findings that have helped constrain models of VWM. In closing, we focus on work exploring individual differences in working memory capacity, and what these findings reveal about the intimate relationship between VWM and attention. WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:179–190. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1219This article is categorized under: Psychology > Memory