The effect of reactor pressure on the growth rate, surface morphology and crystalline quality of GaN films grown on sapphire by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is studied. The results show that as the reactor pressure increases from 2500 to 20000 Pa, the GaN surface becomes rough and the growth rate of GaN films decreases. The rough surface morphology is associated with the initial high temperature GaN islands, which are large with low density due to low adatom surface diffusion under high reactor pressure. These islands prolong the occurrence of 2D growth mode and decrease the growth rate of GaN film. Meanwhile, the large GaN islands with low density lead to the reduction of threading dislocation density during subsequent island growth and coalescence, and consequently decrease the full width at half maximum of X-ray rocking curve of the GaN film. The effect of reactor pressure on the growth rate, surface morphology and crystalline quality of GaN films grown on sapphire by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition was. The results show that as the reactor pressure increases from 2500 to 20000 Pa, the GaN surface becomes rough and The growth rate of GaN films decreases. The rough surface morphology is associated with the initial high temperature GaN islands, which are large with low density due to low adatom surface diffusion under high reactor pressure. These islands prolong the occurrence of 2D growth mode and decrease the growth rate of GaN film. Meanwhile, the large GaN islands with low density lead to the reduction of threading dislocation density subsequent of island growth and coalescence, and reduce decrease the full width at half maximum of X-ray rocking curve of the GaN film .