Based on the metal magnetic memory effect, this paper proposed a new non-destructive testing method for the internal tensile force detection of steel bars by analyzing the self-magnetic flux leakage (SMFL) signals. The variation of the SMFL signal of the steel bar with the tensile force indicates that the curve of the SMFL signal has a significant extreme point when the tensile force reaches about 65% of the yield tension, of which the first derivative curve has extreme points in the elastic and yielding stages, respectively. To study the variation of SMFL signal with the axial position of the steel bar under different tensile forces, a parameter reflecting the fluctuation of the SMFL signal along the steel bar is proposed. The linear relationship between this parameter and the tensile force can be used to quantitatively calculate the tensile force of steel bar. The method in this paper provides significant application prospects for the internal force detection of steel bar in the actual engineering.