The last decade has seen the development of large‐scale genetics studies which have advanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of many complex heritable traits. In this review, we examine what progress has been made in understanding the genetics of cognitive traits. We cover the whole spectrum of distribution in cognitive abilities, from studies that have identified single genes implicated in intellectual disabilities, through studies investigating the missing and hidden heritability of cognitive abilities in the general population, and finally to studies looking at “high intelligence” samples.