An important group of plasma membrane protrusions, filopodia, microvilli and stereocilia, are supported by parallel bundles of actin. These specialized projections have critical roles in sensing the external environment, increasing cell surface area and acting as mechanosensors. While actin-associated proteins are essential for their elongation and bundling, myosins have a surprising role in the formation and extension of filopodia and stereocilia and the organization of microvilli. Actin regulators and specific myosins collaborate in the control of the length of these structures. Myosins can transport cargoes along the length of these protrusions and interactions with adapters and cargoes can also serve to anchor adhesion receptors to the actin-rich core, via functionally conserved motor-adaptor complexes in the case of stereocilia and microvilli. This review highlights recent progress in understanding the diverse roles myosins play in filopodia, microvilli and stereocilia.