In 1929, Max Braun began to manufacture radio sets in Frankfurt am Main. In 1935, the Braun brand was introduced. During World War II, the Frankfurt factories were destroyed. After the war, Max Braun began to rebuild his company with 150 employees. Braun continued to produce radios and audio equipment, and in the fifties, the company also began producing film slide projectors and the electric shavers. In 1952, graphic designer Wolfgang Schmittel was hired and a new department of product design was established. A significant part of the emergence of Braun design was played by Fritz Eichler, the head of design, and the designers Hans Gugelot (HfG Ulm), Herbert Hirche and Wilhelm Wagenfeld (former students of the Bauhaus). In 1955, Dieter Rams was recruited to Braun as an architect and interior designer. In 1961 he was promoted Chief Designer. Rams was often presented as "Mr. Braun", which led to conflicts and legal disputes with other Braun designers. Until then, all designs were simply marked "factory design", as the product design at Braun - also with Rams - has always been a team effort.

In the early 1980s, Braun sold its photographic and slide projector division to Robert Bosch and the rest of the company to Gillette. In 1990, the Braun Electronic business was discontinued. Gillette was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2005, making Braun a wholly owned subsidiary of P&G. In early 2008, P&G discontinued sales of Braun appliances, except shavers and electric toothbrushes, in the North American market. The Braun brand relating to kitchen appliances was purchased by Delonghi. In 2014, P&G announced that the brand is on a list of assets that could be sold.