The invention relates to a method for preparing 2,4-dihydroxy benzaldehyde. The method comprises the following steps: by taking m-dihydroxybenzene as a raw material, performing reaction on bis(trichloromethyl) carbonate triphosgene BTC and N,N-dimethylformamide DMF in an organic solvent, and purifying, thereby obtaining a target compound. According to the method, as the triphosgene is adopted to replace a phosphorus-containing or sulfur-containing chlorination agent, the problems of treatment of a great amount of phosphorus-containing or sulfur-containing byproducts, discharging of wastewater and the like in the production process are solved, and the method has the characteristics of being easy in raw material obtaining, gentle in reaction condition, simple in operation step, low in cost, low in energy consumption, small in pollution, possible in clean production and the like and has industrial application prospects.