To study the optimal conditions for extraction of polyphenols from Acer truncatum with microwave.Using ethanol solution as solvent, some factors which influenced extraction of polyphenols such as ethanol concentration, ratio of material to liquid, size of material, microwave temperature, extraction time, and dipping time before microwave radiation were studied and compared with traditional extraction methods.The optimum conditions were as follows: ethanol concentration was 90%, size of material was 120, ratio of material to liquid was 1:15, microwave temperature was 160 degrees C, extraction time was 5 min, dipping time before microwave radiation was 10 min. The extraction rate of polyphenols from the leaves of Acer truncatum was 93.08 mg/g.The microwave extraction is obviously better than magnetic stirring extraction and ultrasonic extraction.