A nanoporous microstructure generated by partially coalesced waterborne polymer particles that entrap highly concentrated living cells in a dry state stabilized by carbohydrate osmo-protectants. Biocoatings can be deposited by high speed coating technologies, aerosol delivery or ink-jet printed in multilayered, patterned coatings on flexible nonporous or nonwoven substrates, preserving 1010–1012 non-growing viable microorganisms per m2 in 2–50 μm thick layers. Cells are rehydrated to restore their metabolism. The layers reactive half-life following rehydration can be 1000 s of hours. The planar structure of biocoatings enable uniform illumination of a high concentration of photo-reactive microorganisms or algae and contact these microbe with thin liquid films for efficient mass transfer. This review highlights recent advances in biocoating technology for pollutants degradation, photo-reactive coatings, stabilization of hyperthermophiles for biocatalysis, environmental biosensors, and biocomposite fuel cells. Engineering cells for desiccation tolerance, unveiling the metabolism of non-growing cells, and engineering the interaction between the cell surface and adhesive polymer binders are fundamental challenges to open the door to vast future applications of biocoatings