The invention relates to the technical field of tobacco processing, in particular to a microcapsule humectant for cigarettes, a preparation method of the microcapsule humectant and application of the microcapsule humectant. The microcapsule humectant for the cigarettes comprises, by weight, 100 parts of chitosan solution with the mass concentration of 1-5%, 0.05-2 parts of emulgator sucrose ester, 10-20 parts of oil materials and 100-400 parts of sodium tripolyphosphate aqueous solution with the mass concentration of 0.5-3%, and the microcapsule humectant is prepared through emulsification and microencapsulation methods. By means of the microcapsule humectant, compositions of the microcapsule humectant are optimized, the technical problem that an existing humectant cracks under the 120-degree cut tobacco drying condition in the tobacco production process is solved in a targeted mode, the microcapsule humectant has the humectant performance and the dampproof performance, water losses or moisture absorption of cut tobaccos can be slowed down in the drying or high humidity environment, when the cigarettes are smoked, the cigarette aroma and the fresh and sweet tastes can be increased, the drying sense and stimulation are reduced, miscellaneous gas and remaining taste are improved, and quality of the cigarettes is greatly improved.