Ammonium chloride is primarily used as a source of nitrogen in fertilizers, primarily for rice and wheat crops in Asia. It is also an ingredient in fireworks, safety matches, and contact explosives.

Ammonium chloride is used as a flux in the preparation of metals for tinning, galvanizing, or soldering. It is an expectorant in cough medicines and as a systemic acidifying agent in the treatment of severe metabolic alkalosis.

In the food industry, ammonium chloride is used as a food additive and yeast nutrient in breadmaking. It is a feed supplement for livestock and an ingredient in nutrient media for yeast and many microorganisms.

Ammonium chloride can be found in shampoo, hair color and bleach, soap and body wash, facial cleanser, conditioner, hand dish soap, and bath oils and salts.

An important use of ammonium chloride is as an electrolyte in dry cell batteries where it is used because it is an ionic compound.

Ammonium chloride is also used in etching in the manufacture of printed circuit boards, as a fire extinguisher, as an explosive in mineral extraction, and as a curing agent in formaldehyde-based adhesives.