Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. The incidence of new-onset AF is higher among the patients after pacemaker implantation than among the average population. Age, hypertension, left atrial enlargement, sick sinus syndrome (SSS), pacing mode, atrial and ventricular pacing ratio, and pacemaker implantation mode are all risk factors for new-onset AF after pacemaker implantation. This article reviews the mechanism of the above factors, with a view to providing theoretical reference for clinical prevention of AF.