Possible nonlinear effects in electron‐cyclotron plasma production and heating by microwave radiation are analyzed. They include nonlinear regimes of electron acceleration in strong microwave fields under cyclotron resonance conditions, nonstationary regimes of microwave beam self‐focusing, and some parametric processes. Presented results may be of importance for predictions of plasma response to electron‐cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating or preionization by powerful radiation.