This article will discuss the influence of the rare earth Y on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Zn-Al alloys (ZA27, ZA35, and ZA40), and it will provide reference to rare-earth microalloying through the cast ingot metallurgy process. The results also suggest that the microstructure can be refined and mechanical properties can be improved obviously when adding the right amount of Y, and its tensile strength and brinell hardness increased by 9.1% and 11.7% compared with the unmodified ZA27 alloys, respectively. Compared with non-Y addition, the alloys will form dispersed YZn 12 phase, which can strongly pin dislocations and subgrain boundary, inhibiting further recrystallization. On this basis, the impacts of Y on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ZA27, ZA35, and ZA40 have been explored. After adding Y, the microstructures of as-cast Zn-Al alloys are refined at different degree. However, with the increase of Al content, the microstructure shows a certain coarsening and the segregation and shrinkage porosity occur. The most effective refining appears in ZA27-0.4%Y.