This study represents a review of waste tires pyrolysis for energy and material recovery from the optimization perspective, including 1) underlying principles of waste tires pyrolysis, 2) pyrolysis conditions optimization, 3) optimized pyrolysis processes and 4) future optimization development directions. The property analysis of waste tires and the summary of pyrolysis mechanism and products show the great potential of waste tires pyrolysis to support circular economy and sustainable development. Waste tires pyrolysis convert this solid waste into potential substitutes for energy and chemical commodities (pyrolysis oil, gas and carbon black). The pyrolysis conditions for optimizing product distribution mainly include temperature, time, pressure, particle size, heating rate and tire type. The occurrence of secondary reactions is very sensitive to these pyrolysis conditions, which is the essence of product distribution optimization. Various optimized pyrolysis processes are developed by changing the pyrolysis conditions. These optimization processes enhance the control of reaction process and product distribution, optimizing pyrolysis product yield or quality. The integrated system including pretreatment, pyrolysis and products refining with the quantitative economic and environmental impact analysis is the main development direction of waste tires pyrolysis in the future. The review aims to bring new opportunities for the optimization and future development of waste tires pyrolysis. •Waste tires pyrolysis is reviewed from optimization perspective.•Tires pyrolysis has great potential to obtain substitutes for energy and chemicals.•Secondary reaction is the essence of product distribution optimization.•Optimization processes enhance selectivity towards high-value products.•There is a lack of economic and environmental impact analysis of tires pyrolysis.