Contactless conductivity detection is universal for CE in that all charged species can be quantified, and it is particularly attractive for those inorganic and organic ions that are not directly accessible by optical means. It is not necessary to make precise alignments or to create an optical window into the capillary. Commercial detectors that can be retrofitted to existing instruments are available at a cost that is lower than that of any other electrophoresis detector. The approach is also suited for lab-on-chip devices. It is attempted in this review to summarize some of the expertise accumulated since the introduction of the axial contactless conductivity detector to CE 10 years ago.