Aluminum fluoride is primarily used in the production of aluminum metal through the Hall-HÉroult process. It serves as a source of fluoride ions that help lower the melting point of alumina in electrolytic cells, improving energy efficiency during smelting.

It is also used in the manufacture of ceramics and glass, where it acts as a flux to reduce processing temperatures.

In the pharmaceutical industry, aluminum fluoride compounds are used in research to study enzyme activity, particularly in G-protein coupled receptor systems, due to their ability to mimic phosphate groups.

Additionally, it finds use in the production of fluorinated compounds and as a catalyst in certain chemical reactions.