Low‐temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM) is a promising measuring technique for probing the spatial distribution of the superconducting properties of highTcthin films. In the presented article we have given some experimental observations on the spatial variation of the critical current density of two kinds of highTcthin films using a LTSEM. The results show that in the polycrystalline TlBaCaCuO film prepared by dc magnetron sputtering, the maximum local critical current density is about 3–4 times greater than the minimum local critical current density. The microstructure analysis implies that the strong inhomogeneous critical current density distribution in the TlBaCaCuO film is due to its granular structures and the existence of several structural phases. Forc‐axis oriented epitaxial YBaCuO thin film depositedinsituby laser ablation, the results indicate a less inhomogeneous critical current density distribution. The maximum local critical current density is less than 1.5 times the minimum local critical current density in the epitaxial thin film.