Hexafluoroethane is used as a versatile etchant in semiconductor manufacturing. It can be used for selective etching of metal silicides and oxides versus their metal substrates and also for etching of silicon dioxide over silicon. The primary aluminium and the semiconductor manufacturing industries are the major emitters of hexafluoroethane using the Hall-Héroult process.
Together with trifluoromethane it is used in refrigerants R508A (61%) and R508B (54%).
It is used as a tamponade to assist in retinal reattachment following vitreoretinal surgery.