Semiconductor nanowires have demonstrated excellent electronic and optoelectronic properties. When integrated into photodetectors, excellent device performance can be easily attained. Apart from the exceptional performance, these nanowires can also enable robust and mechanically flexible photodetectors for various advanced utilizations that the rigid counterparts cannot perform. These unique applications include personal healthcare, next-generation robotics and many others. In this review, we would first discuss the nanowire fabrication techniques as well as the assembly methods of constructing large-scale nanowire arrays. Then, the recent development of flexible photodetectors based on these different nanowire material systems is evaluated in detail. At the same time, we also introduce some recent advancement that allows individual photodetectors to integrate into a more complex system for advanced deployment. Finally, a short conclusion and outlook of challenges faced in the future of the community is presented.