Engineered tissues and organs that approximate the sizes and functions of actual organs hold great promise for advancing medicine and pharmacology. However, significant challenges remain in producing clinically relevant biofabricated constructs using traditional tissue-engineering techniques. The use of three-dimensional volumetric bioprinting technology is expected to enable the creation of large-scale functional organs for various applications. In this article, we discuss key considerations for creating volumetric functional tissue constructs, particularly using bioprinting technology. In addition, we critically evaluate the advantages and limitations of current volumetric bioprinting techniques, and highlight recent advances in volumetric bioprinting applications that can address the donor organ shortage and the lack of reliable in vitro models.Graphical abstract