The heat treatment properties of 42 CrMo steel for bearing ring of varisized shield tunneling machine were investigated by optical microscope(OM), scanning electron microscope(SEM), transmission electron microscope(TEM),and impact tests. The addition of 0.03 wt% C into 42 CrMo steel can increase the hardness. But it reduces the impact energy by 46 J because of the appearance of coarser carbides in the matrix and the carbides along the austenite grain boundary.The addition of 0.40 wt% Mn into 42 CrMo steel can improve hardenability. However, the toughness of steel is also reduced by 26 J mainly because of the coarsening of carbides and the strengthening of matrix. Both hardenability and toughness of 42 CrMo steel can be improved by adding 1.49 wt% Ni and reducing 0.32 wt% Cr. The depth of hardening layer can be raised to 45 mm, and the impact energy at-20 °C is 120 J. Thus, it is concluded that a good combination of hardness, hardenability, and toughness of 42 CrMo steel can be achieved by alloying with adding some content of C and Ni.Detailed content of C and Ni should be on the requirements of heat treatment properties of steel for bearing ring of varisized shield tunneling machine. The heat treatment properties of 42 CrMo steel for bearing ring of varisized shield tunneling machine were investigated by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and impact tests. The addition of 0.03 wt% C into 42 CrMo steel can increase the hardness. But it reduces the impact energy by 46 J because of the appearance of coarser carbides in the matrix and the carbides along the austenite grain boundary. The addition of 0.40 wt% Mn into 42 CrMo steel can improve hardenability. However, the toughness of steel is also reduced by 26 J mainly because of the coarsening of carbides and the strengthening of matrix. Both hardenability and toughness of 42 CrMo steel can be improved by adding 1.49 wt% Ni and reducing 0.32 wt% Cr The depth of hardening layer can be raised to 45 mm, and the impact energy at-20 ° C is 120 J. Thus, it is concluded that a good combination of hardness, hardenability, and toughness of 42 CrMo steel can be achieve d by alloying with adding some content of C and Ni.Detailed content of C and Ni should be on the requirements of heat treatment properties of steel for bearing ring of varisized shield tunneling machine.