The invention discloses a preparation method of magnetic activated carbon. The method includes the following steps that firstly, bamboo scraps, lauric acid, K2CO3, FeSO4.7H2O, H2O2 and water are obtained and mixed according to a certain mass ratio of 1: (0.1-0.5): (10-50): (10-50): (10-50): (100-500), dipping is performed for 12-24 hours after ultrasonic treatment is performed for 0.5-2 hours, and a mixture A is obtained after drying; secondly, microwave heating is performed, wherein the mixture A is transferred into a high-pressure reaction kettle with the pressure being 0.01-0.05 mPa, then the reaction kettle is placed in a microwave oven with the power being 200-1000 w, heating is performed for 60-200 s, and a mixture B is obtained; thirdly, filtering and drying are performed, wherein the mixture B is placed in a 0.2 micron PTFE membrane filter to be filtered, an obtained filter cake is dried for 20-200 min at the temperature of 80-150 DEG C, and the magnetic activated carbon is obtained. In the activating process of the activated carbon, generated Fe3O4 particles enter an activated carbon structure, it is guaranteed that the requirement for magnetism is met, and the defect that magnetic particles are prone to disengagement is overcome.