Autophagic pathways cross with lipid homeostasis and thus provide energy and essential building blocks that are indispensable for liver functions. Energy deficiencies are compensated by breaking down lipid droplets (LDs), intracellular organelles that store neutral lipids, in part by a selective type of autophagy, referred to as lipophagy. The process of lipophagy does not appear to be properly regulated in fatty liver diseases (FLDs), an important risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Here we provide an overview on our current knowledge of the biogenesis and functions of LDs, and the mechanisms underlying their lysosomal turnover by autophagic processes. This review also focuses on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a specific type of FLD characterized by steatosis, chronic inflammation and cell death. Particular attention is paid to the role of macroautophagy and macrolipophagy in relation to the parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells of the liver in NASH, as this disease has been associated with inappropriate lipophagy in various cell types of the liver.<b>Abbreviations</b>: ACAT: acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase; ACAC/ACC: acetyl-CoA carboxylase; AKT: AKT serine/threonine kinase; ATG: autophagy related; AUP1: AUP1 lipid droplet regulating VLDL assembly factor; BECN1/Vps30/Atg6: beclin 1; BSCL2/seipin: BSCL2 lipid droplet biogenesis associated, seipin; CMA: chaperone-mediated autophagy; CREB1/CREB: cAMP responsive element binding protein 1; CXCR3: C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3; DAGs: diacylglycerols; DAMPs: danger/damage-associated molecular patterns; DEN: diethylnitrosamine; DGAT: diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase; DNL: <i>de novo</i> lipogenesis; EHBP1/NACSIN (EH domain binding protein 1); EHD2/PAST2: EH domain containing 2; CoA: coenzyme A; CCL/chemokines: chemokine ligands; CCl<sub>4:</sub> carbon tetrachloride; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ESCRT: endosomal sorting complexes required for transport; FA: fatty acid; FFAs: free fatty acids; FFC: high saturated fats, fructose and cho...